Serving a stir-fry of market, culture and politics – on globalisation and film policy in Greater China

Abstract

This article examines film policy in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in the context of globalisation. The three markets face a similar set of challenges posed by globalisation, and they equally see the need to promote the local film industry through policy-making. The rhetoric of their film policies converges in embracing free-market ideas and a strong economic logic. However, their specific measures diverge when it comes to the extent and nature of government intervention, restraints posed upon foreign film businesses, vigour and objectives of government film censorship and emphasis given to the cultural imperative of film policy.

Keywords:

• censorship
• China
• culture and politics
• film policy
• free market
• globalisation
• neo-liberalism