Report: Jackie Chan suggests Hong Kong curb rights
HONG KONG (AP) - Jackie Chan suggests in a recent interview that protests should be restricted in the freewheeling Chinese city of Hong Kong.
The action star lamented that Hong Kong has become a city of protest, where people "scold China, scold the leaders, scold anything, protest against anything."
"There should be regulations on what can and cannot be protested," Chan told the Southern People Weekly, which published his comments Wednesday. He didn't say what kinds of protests he thought should be restricted.
The star of movies such as "Rush Hour" and "Rumble in the Bronx" triggered a backlash three years ago with similar comments on the need to restrict freedom in his hometown.
A former British colony, Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997 and is now a semiautonomous region. Residents are fiercely proud of the Western-style civil liberties they enjoy that are not seen on the mainland, including the freedom to demonstrate.
Chan also reflected in the interview on how different Hong Kong was before 1997.
"Hong Kong in the British era was not so free. Did you hear so much gossipy news? Were there so many taking to the streets? No. Very well behaved. The British badly repressed us," he told the magazine.
"We do not like repression. We like freedom. But you cannot do whatever you want."
The city has been the scene lately of a rising number of protests by people upset with Beijing-backed leader Leung Chun-ying, a lack of full democracy and China's growing influence on the city.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in July to protest after Leung took office.
In 2009, Chan sparked outrage among lawmakers in Hong Kong when said he said, "I'm not sure if it's good to have freedom or not." He also said he was "beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled."
When asked by reporters later Thursday about the comments, Chan said, "I respect everyone's opinion and others should respect mine."
He added that he did not want to comment about the interview anymore.
But he added, "I will comment on politics in the future if I feel like it, because that's just the way I am."
The 58-year-old was speaking at the Hong Kong premiere of his latest movie, "Chinese Zodiac," which he has said would be his final film.
Southern People Weekly is part of a media group controlled by southern Guangdong province's Communist Party and known for its lively reporting.
The action star lamented that Hong Kong has become a city of protest, where people "scold China, scold the leaders, scold anything, protest against anything."
"There should be regulations on what can and cannot be protested," Chan told the Southern People Weekly, which published his comments Wednesday. He didn't say what kinds of protests he thought should be restricted.
The star of movies such as "Rush Hour" and "Rumble in the Bronx" triggered a backlash three years ago with similar comments on the need to restrict freedom in his hometown.
A former British colony, Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997 and is now a semiautonomous region. Residents are fiercely proud of the Western-style civil liberties they enjoy that are not seen on the mainland, including the freedom to demonstrate.
Chan also reflected in the interview on how different Hong Kong was before 1997.
"Hong Kong in the British era was not so free. Did you hear so much gossipy news? Were there so many taking to the streets? No. Very well behaved. The British badly repressed us," he told the magazine.
"We do not like repression. We like freedom. But you cannot do whatever you want."
The city has been the scene lately of a rising number of protests by people upset with Beijing-backed leader Leung Chun-ying, a lack of full democracy and China's growing influence on the city.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in July to protest after Leung took office.
In 2009, Chan sparked outrage among lawmakers in Hong Kong when said he said, "I'm not sure if it's good to have freedom or not." He also said he was "beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled."
When asked by reporters later Thursday about the comments, Chan said, "I respect everyone's opinion and others should respect mine."
He added that he did not want to comment about the interview anymore.
But he added, "I will comment on politics in the future if I feel like it, because that's just the way I am."
The 58-year-old was speaking at the Hong Kong premiere of his latest movie, "Chinese Zodiac," which he has said would be his final film.
Southern People Weekly is part of a media group controlled by southern Guangdong province's Communist Party and known for its lively reporting.
"He also said he was 'beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled.'"
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Their population certainly should be.
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Over 1,347,350,000 as of a year ago... 20% of the entire world is Chinese...
 @TheTruncheon The Chinese government has been controlling its population since 1979:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-child_policy
As recently as 1990 that ratio was closer to 22%.
"There should be regulations on what can and cannot be protested," then he says "We do not like repression. We like freedom. But you cannot do whatever you want."
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I think he took one too many to the head. Then again, maybe this is a throw back to old cold war days; "it's a communist plot, don't beleive him"
 I have to admit that I've enjoyed several of his movies, but Mr. Chan is really making me not want to watch many more.  He is one of the 1% of wealthy Chinese who can't fathom what it's like for the rest who are actually suffering and wants to maintain the status quo in mainland China and reign in the freedoms and rights of Hong Kong now that it's back in China's fold.  Sad.  If he weren't wealthy and enjoying the privileges that allow him to enjoy many things in life that normal Chinese can't, he might have different feelings about standing up for one's rights.  Sadly the only fighting he does is choreographed in front of a camera.Â
Mr. Chan's brain is not exactly in pristine condition.
Acceptance of the herd mentality. Centuries of overlord rule have bred into the chinese people a servant mentality. The need to be controlled, organized, protected from diversity of thought is as much a part of them as arms and legs.
@subcaller I think when you have 2 billion neighbors, you learn a measure of self control. You might step on a hundred toes if you don't think before acting. I don't think it's repression, I think it's manners.