Lawmakers mull limiting exorbitant wages paid to actors/actresses

Chinese lawmakers on Tuesday suggested that regulations limiting the fees paid to actors/actresses should be included in a draft film law currently being deliberated.

During panel discussions, some legislators agreed that the exorbitant wages paid to some high-profile actors/actresses in China could compromise the quality of film making, thus, harming the future of the domestic movie industry.

The draft was submitted Monday to a bi-monthly session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, the national legislature, for its second reading. The session will end Saturday.

Limits on the salaries of actors/actresses would help producers and directors refocus on creating quality works, with more leeway in the budget to cover facilities and post-production, said NPC Standing Committee member Sun Baoshu during a group deliberation.

Lauding Sun's opinion, legislator Dong Zhongyuan said regulations on "appropriate remuneration" should encourage actors/actresses to be self-disciplined and build a better public image, Dong added.

The revised draft added a provision regarding the ethics of those working in the film industry, which said they should strive for "excellence in both professionalism and moral integrity."

The topic of fees paid to actors/actresses is widely known in China. Last week, a state media report claimed that some top Chinese stars received upwards of 100 million yuan (about 14.97 million U.S. dollars).

In a statement issued Friday by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, the country's film watchdog, it said it would direct actors' associations and film production companies to formulate systems to manage the proper remuneration of performers.

Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, attended the deliberation Tuesday morning, during which draft amendments to four laws were also discussed. Endit