Despite having official backing, the movie about a 17th century battle has faced surprising backlash from online nationalists
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The future of a mainland Chinese film calling for reunification with Taiwan has been thrown into uncertainty as it faces a surprising backlash from nationalistic voices .
The Belief tells the story of how in 1683, Emperor Kangxi of the Qing dynasty ordered Shi Lang, the admiral of the Fujian navy, to lead the Qing army to a major victory over the Kingdom of Tungning in Taiwan , which considered itself part of the then-overthrown Ming dynasty.
The battle, known as the Battle of Penghu, ultimately brought Taiwan under the Qing dynasty’s rule.
Promotional posters for the movie featured the slogan: “The reunification of Taiwan is unstoppable.”
The film’s theme – bringing a self-governed Taiwan under Beijing’s direct rule – would appear to align with Beijing’s current policy, and it was obvious from early on that the movie had official backing.
Among the film’s co-producers is the propaganda department of Fujian’s provincial committee of the Communist Party, according to government websites.