Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star Zhang Ziyi roars for President Xi Jinping

One of China’s best-known actresses has lavished praise on the Chinese leader as celebrities rushed to swear loyalty to him.

Zhang Ziyi is best known for her role in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

One of China’s best-known actresses has lavished praise on President Xi Jinping as celebrities rushed to swear loyalty to their leader.

Zhang Ziyi, star of the acclaimed 2000 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, said she was inspired by Mr Xi’s new policies as he began an unprecedented third term as party chief.

The party has ordered celebrities to uphold socialist values and make positive contributions. Those who have been embroiled in sex, drug or tax scandals face lifetime bans from the stage. “In my future work, I will follow Xi’s directives . . . adhere to the Chinese culture stance, sing about the passions of the era, and better tell China’s stories,” Zhang, 43, said.

“As an arts and culture worker, I’ve very earnestly studied and grasped the general secretary’s demands.” She said Mr Xi had “clearly pointed out the direction for the socialist culture development”. His words were “educational and inspiring” and have “further clarified the direction for my future efforts and strivings”, she said.

Zhang was one of the first celebrities to declare support for Mr Xi’s policies after the 20th national congress of the Communist Party, where the 69-year-old leader won a third five-year term as general secretary and cemented his power by appointing only loyalists to top positions.

At the congress Mr Xi demanded that the country become a cultural power, guided by core socialist values.

Xi Jinping speaks at a press event this month.

“We will encourage people-centred cultural creation and production of more outstanding works that inspire the people, and we will nurture a great number of writers and artists of both moral and artistic stature as well as a large contingent of talented personnel in culture and the arts,” Mr Xi said.

Hours after he secured his third term and met the press on Sunday in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Zhang appeared on the state broadcaster and pledged her allegiance.

Among those declaring their support was Donnie Yen, a Hong Kong actor. He vowed to play more positive roles to help guide young people. “The making of Chinese films certainly will herald a new era under the guidance of the new leadership, with general secretary Xi as its core,” Yen, 59, said.

Liu Tao, a 44-year-old actress, promised to “unswervingly listen to the party and follow the party”.

She expressed hope that she would get involved in work that reflected China’s cultural influences. “The blood of loving the party and loving the country rushes through the body of every Chinese,” Liu said.

The Times