Jackie Chan: HK needs a strong homeland

Jackie Chan [File photo]

Renowned Chinese martial arts actor Jackie Chan appealed to participants in Hong Kong's Occupy Central movement yesterday to be rational and fight for a peaceful future in Hong Kong.

Chan posted comments about the movement on Weibo, a Chinese Twitter-like microblogging platform, saying, "I have heard that it [the Occupy Central movement] has already caused more than 350 billion in financial losses, which makes all of us very worried."

He said "I think all residents living in Hong Kong love our land very much, and we all hope that Hong Kong will develop well! A better Hong Kong requires support and effort from all of us. Like we sing in the song 'Homeland,' 'a prosperous family needs a strong homeland.' I hope all of us can do our best to remain rational and peaceful, and fight for a bright future for both Hong Kong and our homeland."

The post was published at 18:51 p.m. on Thursday evening. Over the following four hours, the tweets were praised by 45,000 fans and received replies from 7,000 of Chan's followers.

One reply from a user named Feiyang ybJz said that "Loving our country can never be wrong. Different countries have different conditions and circumstances, and we can't simply copy the experiences of other countries."

Another netizen named Zhu Jinglu said that, "Every man alive has a duty to his country. If there is no country, there will be no families."

A large number of Weibo users expressed their support for Chan on Weibo and agreed that people in Hong Kong and throughout the country should gather together to keep Hong Kong and our homeland stable and prosperous.

The Occupy Central movement, which began on Sept. 28 at the Government Headquarters in Admiralty, has triggered protests in Central, Causeway Bay and Mongkok, Hong Kong's busiest areas.

Large crowds of protesters continue to occupy thoroughfares in various districts in Hong Kong, leading to serious traffic disruptions, school closures and large financial losses for businesses throughout the city.

The Hong Kong government announced Thursday evening that it cancelled a formal meeting with representatives of the students participating in the Occupy Central movement scheduled for Friday afternoon after student leaders called on more people to join the sit-in protest.