SHANGHAI (CHINA) – “Walt Disney Co’s “Mulan”, which is set in China, has sparked outrage on social media over its star’s support of Hong Kong police and for being partly filmed in Xinjiang.
Pro-democracy Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong and internet users in Taiwan and Thailand promoted hashtags “#BoycottMulan” and “#BanMulan” on Twitter after the movie was launched this month on the streaming platform of Disney.
From September 11, the movie will also be screened in China, which is an important market for Hollywood.
The backlash began last year when Liu Yifei, the mainland China born actress, expressed support for police in Hong Kong on social media at a time when the city was roiled by anti-government protests.
The boycott calls gained pace this week over its links to Xinjiang province where the Chinese authorities have been accused of oppressing the Muslim minority.
The movie’s credits reveal several state organisations in Xinjiang.
“In the new #Mulan, @Disney thanks the public security bureau in Turpan, which has been involved in the internment camps in East Turkistan,” the Munich-based World Uyghur Congress tweeted on Monday.