Actor Christian Bale attacked during visit to China dissident

I'd say it's ironic that authorities won't let Bale, who is in China to promote a film portraying China's suffering during the Rape of Nanjing and how Japan committed atrocities, visit a man who brings China's atrocities to light, but since it's to be expected it's not really irony.

China... Asia's future hope? I certainly don't think so. More like Asia's growing nightmare. Just another example of why we should stop funding their growth until they change.

Pretty dumb on Bale's part. Ok to try to visit, but he should remember, he still has to leave China and if they are going to do this to him, an actor and a CNN camera crew, and the guards were obviously acting under government authority, why doesn't he think that they wouldn't be able to stop him.

My guess, this new movie will be out in pirated version well before it normally would in order to probably show him who not to "mess with."

Alphaape: Agree it was pretty dumb. I've liked Bale since he was a kid acting in Empire of the Sun -- still one of my favourite movies -- , though I lost a lot of respect for him with his outbursts after Batman and especially Terminator 4. I doubt he was being as humanitarian as he claims and was just pushing to further promote the movie (you could argue he succeeded, as this will get far more attention than if he had successfully interview the lawyer in question), but my guess is he probably thought having a camera crew with him would pressure the Chinese authorities to let them be. Alas, he was quite mistaken.

No one can visit Chen.

I'm Christian Bale. I saved many Chinese virgins from monster Japanese. I can save Chen too.

Ok.

Don't forget to get CNN to come to witness this special moment. No sense saving him if I don't get credit

Journalists and scores of Chinese human rights activists have sought to visit Chen in the past, all unsuccessfully.

It said he reached out to CNN and invited us to join him on his journey to visit Chen.

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/christian-bale-scuffles-with-guards-in-china-20111216-1oyfm.html

I think you guys have missed the forest of the single tree. Sure maybe it was "dumb" to do this. But I am 100% certain that Bale knew that this was a likely outcome. But the point of any visit to a repressed person is to draw attention to his/her plight and to raise awareness. Which this clearly did.

A well deserved black eye for the repressive regime in China.

Even with these brownie points, Japanese moviegoers won't be parting with much cash to see this movie.

What a gold digger.

He is doing the right thing. Who cares about Nanking Massacre and Japanese atrocities? Now this Chinese movie will lose its appeal to the worldwide audience, thus preventing the Chinese from making any profit from it. Chances are he will not be allowed back in China and his new Batman film, or any future film, will not be shown there, thus preventing some greedy Hollywood studios from making large amount of money in an uncivilized, authoritarian country. It's a win win situation.

If only Mr. Bale could donate millions of dollars he made from this movie to some noble cause. He could be a true hero indeed.

True, tkoind2 - though more specifically, he probably felt the need to do this sort of stunt to ensure he's not tarred by accusations of complicity with that monstrous government. I'd say he achieved his aims, and I admire him for doing so.

The footage of Mr. Bales attempted visit is dramatic. In it, he is seen pleading with the men who guard Dongshigus entry points and then retreating as they push and punch him. 'Why can I not visit this free man?' he asks repeatedly. The men, dressed in thick green winter coats respond with shouts of 'Go away.' Even after they have retreated into their car, the group, which included a translator, was chased for 40 minutes by men in a gray van.

Welcome to China...!

Thugs, plenty of thugs, this reminds me of the corrupt New Orleans Police Department, that wrestled cameras away from film crews, at the barrel of a gun, in the aftermath of Katrina... No different...Thugs...

But this is China, You're on your own, there, that's Indian country. You have to let locals work out their own issues...

Unless you plan on bringing O.P. Smith and the 1st Marine Division, you can forget about any conjugal visits with Chinese activist.

Bravo. He knows he helped China with their movie but has just shown a light into a corner they didn't want. He can't be a Batman but more a Bruce Wayne. Effective. This will dog Chinese authorities for a while. Ooops he didn't mean it. Kind of a wink to the Chinese people, not the government.

My apologies to the actor, he has discovered no matter how much you agree with Beijing. Going against them on the smallest matter makes you their foe. The People of Republic of China is made up of thugs. As much a danger to the Chinese people as others.

It'll take long long time for China communists to improve their thoughtness. I really feel sorry for people live under their control.

yosun, unfortunately all Chinese feel pity towards japan and japanese who are living in a small island without any resources.

davidake, I think it's normal that people always think his motherland is best place all over the world, but whenever the same people can choose the place where he can move to, you'll see his real option.

I doubt he was being as humanitarian as he claims and was just pushing to further promote the movie (you could argue he succeeded, as this will get far more attention than if he had successfully interview the lawyer in question), but my guess is he probably thought having a camera crew with him would pressure the Chinese authorities to let them be. Alas, he was quite mistaken.

Smith you're letting on more than you know. Why he would need to stir controversy to promote the movie by visiting the dissident lawyer when the Chinese government has already been doing that given one, it's being a state-funded movie and second, the reputation of Christian Bale is beyond me. I'm also sure you genuinely think of the dissident lawyer as worthy of moral praise in checking and revealing China's atrocities....which is why you doubt the motivation of Bale's abortive visitation and don't condemn the Chinese authorities who denied him access, other than a pathetic rationalization that it was "to be expected."