At a symposium held on July 8, 2021, Hong Kong-based Hollywood actor Jackie Chan expressed his desire to join the Communist Party of China. The event saw Chinese film insiders share their thoughts on the keynote speech delivered by President Xi Jinping on July 1 at the centenary celebrations of the party. 

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The actor graced the event as the vice-chairman of China Film Association and said, “I can see the greatness of the CPC, and it will deliver what it says, and what it promises in less than 100 years, but only a few decades,”

He further added, “I want to become a CPC member.”

While Jackie Chan has been a supporter of the CPC for years and served as a member of the advisory body Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the actor had earlier been massively criticised for his support of China’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

He had earlier said in 2019, “I have visited many countries, and I can say, our country has been rapidly developing in recent years. I feel pride in being Chinese wherever I go, and the ‘Five-starred Red Flag’ is respected everywhere around the world,” Money Control quoted the actor as saying. 

Adding, he said, “Hong Kong and China are my birthplaces and my home. China is my country, I love my country, I love my home. I hope that Hong Kong can return to peace soon.”

According to the Global Times report, this behaviour reflects a growing trend among the elites of Hong Kong to adopt a more rational approach towards understanding the CPC “amid the city’s reflection on its position and search for its future development”.

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Following a prolonged mass protest in Hong Kong, Beijing took over the former British colony in 2020 by passing the National Security Law, made to crackdown on dissent. Under the new law, protestors and leaders were arrested.