China bans movies, actors from prominent Taiwan film awards

China said Wednesday it was banning Chinese movies and actors from participating in Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards, one of the Asian film industry's most prestigious honors, as Beijing ramps up economic and political pressure on the island it claims as its own territory.

The one-sentence announcement on the microblog of China Film News, a newspaper affiliated with government film regulator, gave no reason for the suspension, but it comes amid rising tensions over Taiwan's refusal to recognize being part of Chinese territory to eventually be brought under Beijing's rule.

Even without the ban, Chinese artists might have found it difficult to make it to the Nov. 23 ceremony. Beijing recently issued a ban on solo travel to the island beginning Sept. 1 as part of measures to inflict an economic cost for its failure to obey.

Chinese participation was already in doubt following last year's ceremony, which was marked by Chinese displeasure over remarks in an acceptance speech by documentary director Fu Yue calling on the world to recognize Taiwan as an independent country, something only a handful of nations currently do.

Chinese participants refused to appear on stage, made pointed remarks about Taiwan and China being members of the same family and then declined to attend the banquet reception following the show.

Asked about the announcement, the organizing committee told The Associated Press that it was disappointed but the show would go on as scheduled.

"The Committee regrets to be informed of the news, if it is confirmed. The jury process of Golden Horse Awards is ongoing and will continue as planned, and all Golden Horse events will take place as usual."
"Here (in Taiwan) there aren't people who will disappear or be silenced for expressing differing viewpoints," she wrote, "and we also don't have sensitive terms that are censored on the internet."
Academy Award-winning Taiwanese director Ang Lee, whose films include "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Brokeback Mountain" and who chaired the awards committee appeared to anticipate the backlash to Fu's speech, telling reporters after the ceremony, "I hope that no one will come to interfere (with the awards)."