Jackie Chan refuses to give speech in front of journalists at political conference
Film star says the presence of the media stops him ‘speaking from the heart’ during political advisory body forum in Beijing
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 12 March, 2015, 1:57pm
UPDATED : Thursday, 12 March, 2015, 4:38pm
Stephen Chen
[email protected]
Jackie Chan arriving at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing earlier this week for a political advisory body meeting. Photo: AP
Film star Jackie Chan declined to read out a speech at a panel discussion at the annual meeting of China’s political advisory body because reporters were in the room.
Chan said he had prepared a long speech for a cultural panel at the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in Beijing yesterday, but felt uncomfortable reading it out in the presence of the media.
“Look, there are so many journalists. What should I say? I don’t even dare make a speech,” he said during the meeting, which was open to the press.
For all the latest news from China’s parliamentary sessions click here
Chan, a delegate at the annual event, declined to say what his speech was about, but added that he could only speak honestly when reporters were not present.
“I really want to do something for the nation, or the people, and for Hong Kong. I prepared a speech with a thick stack of paper, now I dare not,” he said.
“It is true that sometimes when reporters are not allowed, I can say something truly from my heart. If I say something in front of the press now, I would only say fake things,” he said.
Chan’s presence at the annual political conference in Beijing regularly generates media interest and headlines.
Photographs of him hugging the PLA singer Song Zuying at another cultural panel discussion at the political forum last year went viral on the internet.
Chan described the controversy over him approaching Song from behind and snuggling with her cheek to cheek as “a lot of fuss over nothing”.
