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

[breakingpoint]

I don't know if control is the correct word. I think it's more about self-discipline and self-determination. China has so many people they need to be very organized for health reasons alone. Their society is growing so fast how do you implement government controls on pollution alone? Their values are changing, but at what cost? Workers are treated so poorly, they haven't even developed a strong and stable middle class, it's the rich and barely surviving and how do you even address the cultural and regional differences?

I think the government fears if they lose control China wold break up. Though I don't think that would necessarily be a bad thing

Same for the US - to big to fail too big to exist and I'm not sure American actually deserve freedom.
Eight years of lying war mongering Bush and we can't even get him on trial for condoning torture.
42 million without health insurance - 90 million under insured.
Banker walking off with millions while Americans live in tents.
US Corporations abandoning jobs leaving the US work force to toil in the service industry without a living wage for countries that employ indentured slaves

The US and the American People need to check their moral high ground, before they start questioning others.

[stopgeorge]

Actually, the American people -- for the most part -- do have moral high ground. The average American is a good moral being. However, the American people are caught in a system that does not resemble true freedom or democracy.

[Ghost803]

So the average American is more moral than the average Chinese person? Where did you come by this information?

[factotem]

Most Americans live in dread of individuality and are horrified by other people's freedom. The founding fathers expected descendants might one day be this dumb, and included the Bill of Rights to prevent the basics from ever being put to a popular vote. What we have now is coporate-ocracy, broght to you by both parties to be sure, but much more eagerly by the morally bankrupt right.

[breakingpoint]

As long as the Bush Administration is free from prosecution I have to disagree.

[breakingpoint]

Benjamen Franklin was ask, Well, Doctor, what have we got, a Republic or a Monarchy?”
Franklin replied, “A Republic, if you can keep it.”

we are not caught, we are allowing.

[wadenelson1]

I agree with you. Control may not be the right word. Was he speaking in English? Or was the word "control" perhaps translated from something in Mandarin closer to "regulation" and "deregulation." . We can all see what deregulation has done for America.

[breakingpoint]

deregulation may have been fine - buyer beware - if the people, aka the government, didn't bail the failures out and let the market correct itself.

adding public safety nets like health care, living wage standards, fair house and a tax on Wall Street we'd all be in better shape.

Now, not only do we have to deal with these unfair bailouts we are losing all our private safety nets and jobs.

Had we let the banks fail and those who invested lose, the stronger more responsible businesses and people would have taken what worked and saved many jobs.

What we're doing is keeping the wealthy wealthy and taxing the little guy for their mistakes.

[brett66]

Freedom is something you get because you "deserve it". It is something you are born with. If you live in the wrong place, it is immediately taken away, which has nothing to do with whether or not you "deserve it".

[breakingpoint]

Freedom means responsibility, freedom must be earned and maintained.

To the forefather of the US its means was through revolution.

It was their gift to the generations to come, a gift they died for. You want to keep it, that's up to you.

If one is born without it in today we would call a recognized sovereign nation, it's up to those people to take it.

[hamchunk]

"...and I'm not sure American actually deserve freedom."

Are you friggin' kidding me? Feel free to emigrate since this place has too much freedom for you, like to Sudan, DPR Korea, China, etc....

[breakingpoint]

Freedom means responsibility. How responsible have you been about your government?

From the looks of things, not very.

[Tyrione]

Anyone who thinks liberty should be curtailed is paranoid of change and cites the negatives that can possibly occur while ignoring the positives that change brings to masses when their civil liberties are extended.

Anyone who thinks self-reliance is a switch you flip when the civil liberties are extended should be tested for intelligence and whether or not they have the right to be labeled intelligent.

To making sweeping generalizations about whether or not his homeland should have more liberty shows how very subjective and narrowly observed his field of view is for his own people.

Like a faucet, the Rule of Law, adjusts when necessary, even unto itself when it forgets it's place and purpose in a land that proclaims Liberty And Justice For All.

[RegLib]

I don't put much stock by what some movie star says. But some of the posts in response to this article are deeply disturbing.

There is never, ever a case in which it is better if some people are controlled. Never, ever.

Saying cultural differences justify the perception that some societies cannot deal with democracy and freedom is the basis for slavery and tyranny. The Japanese, for example, are probably as culturally different from Americans and Europeans as any society, yet democracy works just fine in Japan.

[cityprof]

Jackie has the age and the look to play Chairman Mao. He should.

[stopgeorge]

He has good understanding of authoritarianism, too.

[TheImpaler]

Frankly, I would rather know where Bo Obama stands on this issue?

[stopgeorge]

Well, judging by his advisor's he is very pro-china (considering, a number of them have businesses in China. And judging by Clinton's actions, they are quite willing to put human rights / freedom on the back-burner.

[NC4Obama]

Well they don't have a lot of leverage right now with China. Its kind of hard to demand things to the country you owe trillions of dollars to.

[Dayahka]

Americans need to be controlled, too, Jackie. They're out of control.

[stopgeorge]

I only wish Americans would not let themselves be controlled.

[CosmicSpaceTurtle]

If you're talking about those foolish tea party protesters, I agree they're out of control, but don't worry, they'll have the numbers to achieve any political gain. They're regarded as a joke, and rightfully so!

Freedom of speech must always be defended though.

[NC4Obama]

Iam not worried about them gaining anything political, iam just worried about the lone nut that goes on a shooting rampage.

[yappnmutt]

he's right. the myth of freedom has been exposed as a sure way of letting the lowest common denominator run things into the ground for everyone. kids should be given an iq test at 5 yrs. old and euthanized if they don't score 120+. that will save the world from the bottom half of the class.

[maikonen]

Can't ran democracy down a people's throat. If they want it, let them bleeed for it. It is silly to think that because democracy works for America, it would be a panacea recommended for all the countries in the world. Think Iraq**.

[stopgeorge]

He's not saying that. He's saying more than that. He's saying "Chinese culture" is incompatible with democracy. That is not only absurd, but it has been proven wrong in Japan and Taiwan. It's also a racist thing to say.

[Bitsko]

"If we're not being controlled, we'll just do what we want." So does this mean Jackie is a Moonie?

[wyuenho]

Jackie Chan's opinion is typical of a man of his background and times. He's like my father, who only had a primary school education and had to work hard, and in many cases, put his own life at risk to achieve his status.

His opinion is by no means the predominant view in HK. With all due respect, I don't think he's intellectually competent enough to distinguish what is, what could be and what should be. He isn't wrong in every occasion, but he is certainly very conservative and aren't well informed enough to be a good judge in many occasions.

[NunuDudu]

Dear Jackie,

I'm confused. Please elaborate.

[KataVideo]

He's at a creativity forum calling on people to be controlled?

[ranch111]

Jackie, you are what's wrong with this world. Your movies are laughable at best.

[solarian]

jackie what movies jet li movies are way better hows married life

[chedet]

One thing I find amusing about America is that it always want to impose it's system on other people but could not get its own system perfected. Just because democracy works in this country doesn't mean it works in other countries. Just look at Iraq and Afghanistan just in case Americans have forgotten about them. Without democracy like ours, China is still able to loan us money so our country can still run since we are cash strapped by wanting to impose democracy in other countries. Because we are a land so free that's why we are in this mess right now. Banks are free to swindle our money and healthcare sector are free to sucked us yet we still have the guts to condemn other countries' systems. They will do whatever they think is good for their country and we should do the same too for our own country.

[stopgeorge]

Are you saying that democracy cannot work in "Chinese" societies? That's what Chan is saying.

[Bitsko]

A kung fu version of the life of Chairman Mao is in order.

[stopgeorge]

LOL!