Disney’s ‘Mulan’ Faces New Backlash for Filming in Xinjiang

Disney’s newly released live-action reboot of ‘Mulan’ is once again facing criticism, this time for filming in China’s Xinjiang region, the Associated Press reports. 

After its release on Disney Plus last week, credits at the film’s end were quickly noticed thanking Xinjiang’s propaganda departments and the security bureau of Turpan. 

Xinjiang is home to China’s Uighur ethnic group as well as other predominantly Muslim minorities who have been targeted by the Chinese government for years. Since 2017 this persecution has greatly accelerated, as the region has become the site of serious and widely publicized human rights abuses, mostly stemming from the government’s use of detention and “re-education camps”. 

Disney slammed for turning a blind eye to abuses:

Since news of the film’s association with Xinjiang broke, many have taken to social media to call out Disney for what they see as a willingness to ignore the actions of the Chinese government in order to continue to enjoy unfettered access to the country’s lucrative movie market. 

 

It was even suggested that the production crew may have witnessed the internment camps first hand.

Disney is far from the only corporation that has been slammed for its seemingly selective stance on human rights where China is concerned. Perhaps most notable is the NBA, which continues to face charges of hypocrisy for their support of the Black Lives Matter movement while simultaneously remaining silent on Chinese government abuses. The league engaged in widely publicized financial damage control last year following China’s reaction to pro-Hong Kong sentiments from Houston Rockets General Manager, Daryl Morey. 

Not the first controversy:

Once seen as an easy moneymaker for Disney, this is not the first time the Mulan reboot has found itself mired in controversy. Last year, comments in support of Hong Kong police from lead actor Liu Yifei sparked a boycott movement against the film. The comments came amid violent crackdowns by police against pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. Liu’s co-star Donnie Yen also came under fire for similar comments. 

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