Spielberg puts spotlight on China
22 February 2008, 09:32AM
Steven Spielberg
It apparently takes a truckload of star power, universal fame and media attention to make China take notice.
Hollywood VIP and movie director Steven Spielberg managed to do it last week, when he pulled out as artistic adviser for the Olympic Games' ceremonies because of his concerns about China’s policies relating to conflict-ravaged Sudan.
The news caused a significantly bigger media ripple than the announcement earlier in the month that the UK's Prince Charles would not be attending the Olympics.
The Chinese public and media – through newspaper columns and Internet forums - are apparently responding with outrage, scorn and bewilderment, says Associated Press.
AP quotes from an editorial this week in the People's Daily, a Communist Party newspaper, which says a "certain Western director was very naïve ... this is perhaps because of his unique Hollywood characteristics".
For their part Chinese authorities responded saying they are striving for peace in the troubled region and working with the United Nations to resolve the crisis.
The UK's Telegraph newspaper reckons Beijing is probably puzzled at the attention paid to the political views of a Hollywood director.
Spielberg's announcement came on the same day eight Nobel Peace laureates – big stars themselves, though they don’t make movies – sent a letter to the Chinese President about their concerns relating to China and Sudan.
The global gaze – for now - is on China, though it took stellar power to make it happen. It could be argued that Hollywood shapes too much of modern life - but in lieu of any one else of attention-grabbing weight stepping up, at least public debate about China’s human rights record has begun.
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