China demands 'positive images' in return for access to markets

Ray

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China demands 'positive images' in return for access to markets

Hollywood required to provide scripts that enhance Chinese culture in order to find favour with authorities controlling movie production



Didn't pass the test ... Looper

A senior figure in the Chinese film industry outlined the conditions it is setting for Hollywood to gain access to its lucrative box-office revenues, central among which is more "positive images" of the country and its culture.

Speaking at the US/China Film Summit, held in LA on the eve of the American Film Market convention, China Film Co-Production Company president (CFCC) Zhang Xun told Hollywood executives: "We have a huge market and we want to share it with you [but] we want films that are heavily invested in Chinese culture, not one or two shots ... We want to see positive Chinese images."

The CFCC is a particularly influential agency as it selects US productions for co-production status with Chinese companies, thereby allowing films to bypass the quota system China currently has in place for foreign films. Films such as Cloud Atlas and were turned down for co-production, despite having significant elements designed to accommodate Chinese sensibilities, while Zhang was thought to be referring to Iron Man 3 with the "one or two shots" line. Zhang told the conference that to qualify a film had to have a minimum of 20% Chinese investment, significantly feature Chinese talent, and possess a joint script.

More thornily, Zhang said scripts had to be vetted by the CFCC, but claimed censorship was not the issue. "We want to help you avoid hot spots and trouble and to make suggestions that will actually save you money." Accordong to Deadline though, Zhang said too much violence, "slights against 'the feelings of a third country'" and negative depictions of religion would count against a film.

Earlier this year China became the largest film market outside the US, worth around $1.7bn (£1.06bn).

"¢ Top Chinese film-maker says country's censors are 'ridiculous'
"¢ China confirmed as world's largest film market outside US

China demands 'positive images' in return for access to markets | Film | theguardian.com

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The Chinese posters complain that Indians are unfair when they project the image of China calling it 'showcasing' and even go to the extent of finding analysis by Indians, as being anti China or 'China Bashing'.

Here is a perfect example of how China forces its image to look 'positive' and being projected as such. This they do to foreign agencies!

If they do so with aplomb and in a cavalier fashion with foreigners, imagine what they expect their own citizens to do.

In short, China expects all to project a Shangrila type of image to the world of China where everything is full of milk and honey!

And if you find faults in the fraudulent projection, that is "China Bashing"!

Non wonder the Chinese cannot brook any exposure, by others, to the reality of China.

They are, after all, the product of continuous bombardment of China being a example of harmony and happiness to the world.

They live in their cocoon of well orchestrated Chinese Communist Govt propaganda which they think is the sole avenue to knowledge, information and 'truth'!

This leads to lack of imagination, intellectualism, independent thought, and in short encourages the atrophy of the mind and a conditioned reflective approach!
 
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drkrn

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Just like a prostitute asking her customers to advertise her as a "pativrata".
the world will see you as what you are
 

Ray

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It is surprising that a nation that is by right one of the leading economies and a military power aspirant should require emotional sops and inspirational crutches and international acknowledgement to actually feel that they are nation on the move to lead.

That attitude smacks of an inferiority complex.

Does China and Chinese fear something? After all, as it is said, Fear is the thought of admitted inferiority.

Simone de Beauvoir, the French author, had said, "When an individual is kept in a situation of inferiority, the fact is that he does become inferior".


Here is an interesting analysis.

On China's inferiority complex

Yesterday I looked at the case of the Japanese cyclist, which raised the question of a whether there's a Chinese inferiority complex when dealing with foreigners. Global Times ran a piece along these lines saying, "A simple bike has seemingly reflected an embarrassing situation, namely that Chinese still cannot view foreigners equally. People are still too sensitive to foreign evaluations of the country and confined to an inferior mentality."

Long ago China regarded all other countries as tributaries to itself and actually had a very blatant SUPERIORITY complex. In 1792, King George III of England sent a delegation to show the Qianlong emperor some British goods and persuade him to open China to greater trade with the West. The emperor responded with a sufficiently condescending refusal that labeled foreigners barbarians and included passages like: "You, O King, from afar have yearned after the blessings of our civilization, and in your eagerness to come into touch with our converting influence have sent an embassy across the sea bearing a memorial. I have already taken note of your respectful spirit of submission."

By cutting itself off from the ever- globalized and technological world, China was left vulnerable to the Opium Wars. Then the end of the 19th century brought the ultimate slap in the face. China was pummeled in the First Sino-Japanese War after the little "barbarian" island seized the opportunity China had brushed away. This was all part of the greater "Century of Humiliation," which is oft-cited as the root of China's inferiority complex with foreigners and hunger for international validation.

So many Chinese regard it as shameless historical kowtowing when foreigners are perceived to get special treatment – like in the case with the Japanese cyclist. But do we foreigners really receive elevated treatment above our Chinese peers?

Yes and no. Global Times was absolutely right in saying Chinese still cannot view foreigners equally, but it goes both ways. Some take the 19th-20th century inferiority outlook and worship foreign things and people. But quite a few take the opposite 18th century chauvinistic attitude.

I'm often invited to stranger's homes, bought drinks, taken to dinner and offered high-paying jobs by virtue of having a foreign face. That I can't deny.

But I'm also overcharged for everything (by normal merchants and government policy). I'm used as a pawn in guanxi-maneuvering and treated like a performing monkey. I live in constant fear that I'll be booted out of the country if I flub up some bureaucratic procedure. A few people have tried to talk my girlfriend out of dating me because of the indignity it brings to China. And I'm reminded on a daily basis that my entire identity is nothing more than 外国人 (outside-country person). And if that's all a Japanese visitor deals with, he's very lucky.

Obviously most foreigners feel like they come out ahead in the end, or they wouldn't still be here. But being a foreigner entails trade-offs many Chinese don't recognize.

Today I read a very interesting piece in the Economic Observer giving a very different take on the Japanese cyclist. It said, "Is the problem that police neglect ordinary people or that ordinary people let themselves be neglected? Government is always blamed for discontent, and social problems are always ascribed to mismanagement by officials. But there are plenty of people acquiescing in this. ["¦]Why do foreigners always get special treatment in China? Is it because, unlike many Chinese who are willing to put up with the way things are, they insist on making a fuss?"

In the graduate program I'm in currently in Beijing, we're separated into a class of only foreigners and a few classes of only Chinese. A few weeks ago a Chinese classmate was told by an administrator that she wouldn't get credit for a class she'd completed. It had been approved as an elective at the beginning of the semester but, at the end, the administrator (who my friend says hates her) arbitrarily decided the course wouldn't count.

On the other side, we foreign students are accommodated at every turn. Administration holds regular meetings to hear our feedback on what we like and don't like about the program. And if someone has beef with a teacher, they'll usually get their way. On the surface this probably looks like blatant special treatment for foreigners.

But I remember last year many of the foreign and Chinese students had plans to go out together one night. However, a few hours before, the Chinese students said their teacher had scheduled a last-minute meeting to go over pointless drivel"¦at 7:00 on a Friday night.

"So?" I said. "Tell the teacher tough shit. You already have plans."

"No, she's making us go," my friend replied.

"Is she holding a gun to your head or something?" I pushed. "Tell her she needs to give you a respectful amount of notice if she expects you to show up."

"We can't," my friend scoffed gently. "I'm sorry."

The reason for the "special treatment" of foreign students became pretty clear. Another Chinese student would later talk about the administration saying, only half-jokingly,"They come and bully us because they've gotten so used to getting bullied by you foreigners."

A few months ago I asked if this kind of innate submissiveness is traditional filial culture, or if it's been hammered in from above by an authoritarian system. But wherever it comes from, in the end, people will only receive the treatment that they stand up and demand.

On China’s inferiority complex | Sinostand
 

Ray

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China media: Typhoon aid

State media are defending China's aid amount to the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan.

Beijing announced on Wednesday that it would send an extra 10m yuan (£1m; $1.64m) worth of relief supplies to the Philippines after coming under fire from foreign media for its initial donation of $100,000 on Monday.

Earlier this week many international media outlets, including Reuters and the UK's Financial Times, compared China's offering unfavourably with that of the US, Japan and other countries.

The Associated Press on Friday said Swedish furniture chain Ikea and US beverage giant Coca-Cola have donated more than the world's second-largest economy.

Some reports attribute the level of the Chinese offering to its territorial dispute with the Philippines. And the foreign media's negative reaction has put some state media on the defensive.

"Those China bashers must harbour ill intentions, aimed at either tarnishing China's image in the world arena or sowing further seeds of discord between China and the Philippines - as if the territorial dispute was not enough. Let's not forget that China was also hit by Haiyan," counters the China Daily.

The Ta Kung Pao, a Beijing-backed Hong Kong newspaper, instead accuses Philippine President Benigno Aquino of "shirking responsibility" for his country's "weak disaster relief" that has been exacerbated by "corruption".

"The people of Hong Kong had a taste of Aquino's despicable working style long ago. Since the [2010 Hong Kong tour bus] hostage incident, Aquino has refused to apologise... It now appears that President Aquino is even treating his own people with this attitude," it says.

However, the Global Times says China's assistance has not gone far enough and calls for the military to follow the US and Japan's moves to send armed forces and naval warships to assist in the disaster relief.

"If it is premature or even somewhat sensitive for China to send the 'Liaoning' aircraft carrier for disaster relief. All sides are more likely to accept the navy sending the 'Peace Ark' hospital ship, escorted by warships. US and Japanese public opinion will of course still hype up this matter, but such public opinion cannot bring harm to China," it says.

Earlier this week, the Global Times had said the Chinese government must overcome any public resistance to giving aid to the Philippines or risk harming its international image.

BBC News - China media: Typhoon aid
 

bose

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It is really surprising that there is public pressure in China on giving donation to disaster stricken people in Philippines... how mean the people can be and is not fit to be called a civilized nation"¦ Do CCP not preach Chinese to behave as a civilized citizen of the world??
 

Ray

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That 'One Leader' influencing values in China stated by Shiphone in the other thread on China's contribution to Philippines, got me thinking of what Aleister Crowley, the English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, and mountaineer, had said.

He had said- Chinese civilisation is so systematic that wild animals have been abolished on principle.

One wonders what he meant by this.

Did he mean everything has been domesticated?

Or did he mean that in China all are trained/ infleunced to conditional reflexes to resemble a oneness of thought, opinion, actions et al?
 
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