“She was banned for tax evasion” – Chinese Netizens Question Fan Bingbing as Melaka Tourism Envoy

Popular Chinese actress Fan Bingbing was recently appointed as the Tourism Ambassador for Visit Melaka 2024, with her arrival in the historic city celebrated with a lot of fanfare.

Furthermore, the appointment also led to a spike in searches for “Melaka” in China through the WeChat app, which is ubiquitous in the country.

Fan Bingbing was banned from acting or producing films in China for tax evasion

However, just like how the appointment sparked a debate in our country where many Malaysians question the need to appoint someone foreign to be the envoy for Visit Melaka 2024, Fan Bingbing’s appointment has also sparked a debate in China. 

As reported by SCMP, many Chinese netizens are questioning the appointment due to Fan Bingbing’s rather tainted reputation in the country.

This is because the 43-year-old actress was previously investigated for evading taxes in May 2018, where she was alleged to have signed 2 contracts to conceal her real income.

As a result of the investigation, Fan Bingbing was ordered to pay CNY884 million or approximately RM573.6 million in overdue taxes and fines, the largest amount of money a single celebrity had paid in a tax case in China’s history.

Moreover, Fan Bingbing was also banned from acting or producing films in China as a result of the case.

Fan Bingbing’s appointment as Melaka Tourism envoy questioned

Accordingly, many Chinese netizens question why Visit Melaka 2024 appointed Fan Bingbing when other “clean” Chinese celebrities are out there.

One commenter asserted, “Why hire her? There are many other Chinese celebrities with no record of malpractice,”.

Meanwhile, another commented, “She evaded tax and got censored in China, but she got many jobs overseas. This appointment is beyond my imagination.”

Conversely, some Chinese netizens are proud of Fan Bingbing’s appointment

On the flip side, many Chinese netizens were also positive about the appointment, saying that it’s an honour for the country.

One commenter asserted, “I think she is the only Chinese star named to promote tourism abroad. Isn’t this kind of a winning honour for China?”

Meanwhile, another commenter said, “She is truly an international star. That’s why she is so popular in Malaysia and was named as the tourism ambassador.”

So, what is your take on the matter? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

Also read: WeChat in China Detects Millions of Searches for ‘Melaka’ Following Fan Bingbing’s Visit to the State!