China pulls high-budget naval epic on Taiwan from cinemas without explanation

A Chinese-backed epic about the 1683 Qing naval campaign that brought Taiwan under imperial control was pulled from scheduled screenings after the authorities failed to grant it an exhibition license. Directed by Soi Cheang and costing roughly 500 million yuan, the film was intended as a patriotic summer hit, with promotional material emphasizing the “unstoppable” unification of Taiwan. Despite receiving filming permission in 2021, the National Film Administration has not issued the theatrical clearance, and neither producers nor regulators have provided a new launch timeline.

The project enjoyed backing from the Fujian Communist Party Propaganda Department and was promoted by CCTV, but scholars warn that depicting the historic invasion could be read as endorsing a modern assault on Taiwan, a sensitive issue given rising military pressure since Lai Ching-te took office in 2024. Online nationalist groups also criticized the narrative for portraying the Manchu-led Qing as foreign oppressors, sparking a debate that the authorities have sought to suppress through statements from the Zhejiang Propaganda Department and the National Commission on Ethnic Affairs. The controversy highlights the delicate balance Beijing tries to maintain between historical storytelling and current cross-strait diplomacy.