Chinese Favorite Gong Li Gives Up Chinese Citizenship

One of China’s favorites, Gong Li, has given up her Chinese citizenship.

Chinese forums are a buzz about the news that popular Chinese movie star Gong Li has taken Singaporean citizenship.

“The 43-year-old actress, born in Liaoning Province, northeast of China, got her Singaporean citizenship certificate at a ceremony last Saturday.”

42.4 percent of 6,580 respondents say they respect her personal choice and 30.3 percent said they didn’t care, 27.3 percent called her move “unpatriotic.”

Gong’s husband is a Singaporean. It makes sense.

China Youth Daily says the public should not make a fuss as it was a personal freedom to change one’s citizenship in a globalized world.The reason for the outcry is the belief that celebrities can switch their citizenship much more easily than ordinary people. In other words, the average folk are angry because they can’t make a change when a celeb can.

But, then, what about those millions who have left China since the 70s and not returned?