China considers banning Hollywood films amid tariff tensions

Responding to US tariffs on Chinese goods, China is reportedly considering several retaliatory measures, including a potential ban on American film imports in the Asian country, according to reports.

On Tuesday, two influential Chinese social media figures, Liu Hong, a senior editor at state-run Xinhuanet, the website of the Xinhua News Agency, and Ren Yi, grandson of former Guangdong party chief Ren Zhongyi, indicated on Chinese social media that China might target US films.

Their posts come as China prepares for a tit-for-tat response to Trump's proposed 50 percent import tax on Chinese goods, set to take effect on April 9.

Both Chinese figures outlined potential actions, including reducing or banning American film imports.

As the future of Hollywood films in China hangs in the balance, the outcome could significantly reshape the global film industry and US-China trade relations in the coming months.

The Chinese market has been crucial to the global success of American films in recent years, and a potential ban or reduction in American film imports would deal a heavy blow to studios that rely on this market for revenue.

Over the past years, China has emerged as a vital market for major studio films, with blockbusters such as Avengers: Endgame, Furious 7, and Avatar: The Way of Water earning hundreds of millions of dollars at Chinese theatres.

This past weekend, Warner Bros. and Legendary's A Minecraft Movie grossed $2.11 billion over 10 weeks at the Chinese box office, dethroning the local blockbuster Ne Zha 2.

In 2022, China became the world's second-largest box office, behind the US, with Hollywood films consistently performing well.

China's retaliation against tariffs would potentially hurt American studios while also reaffirming the Chinese government's tight control over its film industry and its strategic use of cultural imports to align with national interests.

From : Al-Ahram