Tencent’s Martin Lau Explains China’s Tech Sector Crackdown

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefOnline platforms have now replaced the free-to-air and pay-TV sectors as the engine of video industry growth in the Asia-Pacific region. Both advertising-supported and subscription video are becoming more dominant.The conclusions were presented as part of an opening address by Vivek Couto, managing partner at research firm Media Partners Asia, on the first session of the three-day APOS conference.

Vivienne Chow Nicholas Tse, star of the recent hit film “Raging Fire,” says he has applied to renounce his Canadian citizenship and will embrace the People’s Republic of China instead. The move comes as Chinese authorities mount crackdowns on the entertainment industry and on dual citizenship.The singer-actor-celebrity chef made the announcement during an interview on Sunday on CCTV, China’s state broadcaster.

BEIJING -- Chinese social media platform Weibo banned a fan club of popular South Korean K-pop band BTS from posting for 60 days, saying it had raised funds illegally, days after photographs of a customized airplane funded by the fan club were posted online.The fan club account, which had over 1.1 million followers on Weibo, was centered around BTS member Jimin.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief“Free Guy” held on strongly to grab a second weekend at the top of the mainland China box office. It beat an unusual theatrical release for “The Tomorrow War,” which has gone straight to streaming in other territories.“Free Guy” earned $18.3 million between Friday and Sunday, according to data from consultancy, Artisan Gateway.

Spoiler alert: This post contains massive spoilers from “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”“Shang-Chi and the Legends of the 10 Rings,” Marvel’s first film with an Asian lead and cast, is full of cultural and mythological references. While the titular “Legend of the 10 Rings” is a tale created for the film, other elements are rooted in Chinese culture — both traditional and modern.Here are the Chinese customs from “Shang-Chi” explained, in order of appearance:Breakfast porridgeWhen Shaun

(continued below)These are just a handful of the strict regulations President Xi Jinping has ordered in the name of "national rejuvenation". He's also clamping down on the video game and internet industry, having launched anti-monopoly, data security and other enforcement actions against companies.

NCT’s Ten and YangYang have shared that their recently released duet ‘Low Low’ might be the first of more collaborations between the two.In a recent interview with South China Morning Post, the two idols discussed their single ‘Low Low’ as well as their desire to release more music as a duo.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefThe Chinese government’s crackdown on the tech and entertainment sectors has now turned to “sissy idols,” “effeminate men” and all things “overly entertaining.”The measures were sketched out in an eight-point plan on Thursday by the National Radio and Television Administration.

The Chinese government has issued new orders to its broadcasters in its continuing crackdown on culture, business and social mores. This time, it called for a ban on what it termed “effeminate men,” asking instead that “revolutionary culture” be touted.

Reuters has reported.Their message included criticism that the industry supports an “effeminate” male image, to the detriment of Chinese men, they said. The National Radio and Television Administration of China also intends to put the squeeze on stars’ outsized salaries while encouraging such entertainment tycoons to volunteer to aid public welfare programs.

BEIJING -- China’s government banned effeminate men on TV and told broadcasters Thursday to promote “revolutionary culture,” broadening a campaign to tighten control over business and society and enforce official morality.President Xi Jinping has called for a “national rejuvenation,” with tighter Communist Party control of business, education, culture and religion.

Netflix asked him to change the location of his new film Hustle from China to Majorca.Sandler, who signed a new deal with Netflix at the start of 2020 to make four more original films, explained that the streaming giant changed his original concept for the new film about a basketball recruiter who travels overseas.“It was written originally that I find a player in China and somehow, Netflix is not in China,” Sandler said on The Dan Patrick Show.“So they were like, ‘Would you guys please make it

Thursday appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show,” in which he discussed his new sports comedy “Hustle.” In the flick, which is currently in the post-production phase, Sandler plays a washed-up basketball agent who attempts to save his flatlining career by recruiting a talented overseas player to the NBA.“It was written originally that I find a player in China and somehow, Netflix is not in China,” the “Happy Gilmore” star told Patrick.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefFrank Zhu, former head of Chinese animation studio Pearl Studio, has joined Tencent-owned Riot Games as MD for Riot Games’ China Entertainment.

Facebook.The cancellation came days after pro-Beijing newspaper Ta Kung Pao accused Ho of being “anti-China” due to her involvement in the 2019 pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.

Pearl Studio alum Frank Zhu has joined Riot Games as the League of Legends and Valorant publisher’s  Managing Director of China Entertainment.

After a two-month blackout period in China for Hollywood movies, Disney/20th Century Studios’ Free Guy is looking to lead all pics in the country at the weekend B.O. with a $18M+, possibly $20M take. That’s a promising start for one of the first big movies from Hollywood after a long-hiatus, besting the $15M opening weekend of A Quiet Place Part II, and the $7.8M first weekend of Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. 

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefChinese games, video and social media giant Tencent was Wednesday rebuked by China’s Ministry of Information Technology for illegal use of consumer data at its ubiquitous Weixin / WeChat super-app.