China works to stifle celebrities as it seeks to dictate the values the nation’s youth should embrace. “Chinese people are increasingly ignoring party propaganda and are much more interested in movie stars, who represent a new lifestyle and more exciting aspirations,” said Willy Lam, an expert on Chinese politics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. One problem is that the party’s values often clash with what young Chinese want to watch, according to Hung. Among the more popular shows watched by Chinese youth are those that center on palace intrigue, martial arts fantasies, high school romances or single, independent women. Beijing may struggle to win over young Chinese, but it won’t stop its carrot-and-stick approach to regulating the industry.

Source: Washington Post October 22, 2017 01:16 UTC