Jackie Chan: Chinese People Need To Be Controlled

BOAO, China — Action star Jackie Chan said Saturday he's not sure if a free society is a good thing for China and that he's starting to think "we Chinese need to be controlled."

Chan's comments drew applause from a predominantly Chinese audience of business leaders in China's southern island province of Hainan.

The 55-year-old Hong Kong actor was participating in a panel at the annual Boao Forum when he was asked to discuss censorship and restrictions on filmmakers in China. He expanded his comments to include society.

"I'm not sure if it's good to have freedom or not," Chan said. "I'm really confused now. If you're too free, you're like the way Hong Kong is now. It's very chaotic. Taiwan is also chaotic."

Chan added: "I'm gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we're not being controlled, we'll just do what we want."

The kung fu star has not been a vocal supporter of the pro-democracy movement in his hometown of Hong Kong. Since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997, voters have not been allowed to directly elect their leader. Several massive street protests have been held to demand full democracy, but Beijing has repeatedly said Hong Kong isn't ready for it.

The theme at Saturday's panel discussion was "Tapping into Asia's Creative Industry Potential," and Chan had several opinions about innovation in China.

He said that early in his career, he lived in the shadow of the late martial arts star Bruce Lee. He said that during his first foray into Hollywood, he struggled to establish his own identity, so he returned to Hong Kong. After spending 15 years building his reputation in Asia, Chan finally got rediscovered by Hollywood, he said.

Chan said the problem with Chinese youth is that "they like other people's things. They don't like their own things." Young people need to spend more time developing their own style, he added.

The action hero complained that Chinese goods still have too many quality problems. He became emotional when discussing contaminated milk powder that sickened tens of thousands of Chinese babies in the past year.

Speaking fast with his voice rising, Chan said, "If I need to buy a TV, I'll definitely buy a Japanese TV. A Chinese TV might explode."

Comments

[Dr Manhattan]

Jackie completely right on this one. Unfortunately he forget to add that they needed to be controlled by someone other than the Chinese. Maybe if they ask nice, Britian or even the Mongols will help them out. :)

[protagonia]

How about you then?

Why not put YOU in charge of them?

You will be a magnanimous and kind ruler, right?

[rini]

I do think that crowding and overpopulation complicate everything. A free society can evolve into chaos under those conditions.

What to do?

Birth control...

and freedom.

Women,world wide, need to stop being baby machines and have other interests in life. Men have to stop seeing women as baby machines.

[RobinSeattle]

Actually, some of us like being childless. I decided I didn't want kids when I was a teenager. I just don't have the patience for them. The problem, though, for me is finding women who feel as I do. My last relationship broke up because she suddenly decided she wanted to have kids with me after we had agreed at the outset of the relationship that kids weren't an option. So I broke it off right then and there.

[rini]

I admire your honesty and acceptance of your decision which somewhat rides against old traditions and cultures.

People like you are why we may survive as a species at all.

[jennbeez]

My sis met a man like you and, because she wanted to get married, she agreed not to have kids. They married. She had kids anyway. One of them turned out to be mentally ill and is basically holding the rest of the family hostage to his violent tantrums.

I wish my sis's husband had gotten an artificial insemination instead of relying on her to take care of the birth control. That may be the best piece of advice you ever get :)

[protagonia]

Hormones have a way of fabricating a logic to defend their directives.

[avraamjack]

Well, look what Americans have done with their freedom...­.

Today, Gang Stalkers openly and notoriously poison and irradiate people without government interference.

The USA could use a stronger government.
.

[johnie2xs]

I'm not saying I agree with Chan in toto, but what he is saying has an interesting aspect to it. What he espouses is obviously antithetical to anyone raised in this country, but considering the sway of an ignorant populace that has given us such hits as the Bush Administration, the Fox Channel, and most recently the Tea Party phenomenon, one has pause as to the efficacy of such an idea as this, if it were to be applied to this country.

I'm not realistically calling for the abridgment of any of our rights or freedoms, but in me it does bring about an obvious concern relative to the knowledge ability of our electorate. Civic involvement requires a bit more than what "I" want, when it in fact it should be what "WE" need. The desires of the selfish and the biased one issue voter has taken precedence over the well informed and ecumenical.

Just sayin'.

[KarateKid]

What if they controlled your creative freedom, Jackie? Would you feel that way then?