Disney Criticized For 'Mulan' Credits Thanking Chinese Propaganda Departments Linked To Detention Camps, Underreporting COVID-19 Cases
When Disney first announced its remake of Mulan, Asian-American audiences who grew up on the 1998 original only had one major concern: no whitewashing. But cut to five years later, following the unexpected release of the Niki Caro-directed film on Disney+, and there are larger, more insidious sociopolitical concerns at work in Disney's live-action Mulan remake. It's just one of the many major criticisms over serious issues that Disney is fielding this week, including labor concerns over coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.
Mulan Credits Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Institutions Linked With Detention Camps
It was clear from the get-go that Disney went out of their way to appeal to Chinese audiences with the Mulan remake, making changes and tweaks that would fall in line with the country's values, often to the detriment of the film itself. But by playing nice with the Chinese Communist Party and its censors, Disney has tied itself to Chinese government entities that are linked to Uighur Muslim detention camps.
After the release of Mulan on Disney+, viewers noticed a "special thanks" in the film's end credits that name eight government entities in Xinjiang, including the public security bureau in the city of Turpan, where China is allegedly operating more than a dozen "reeducation" camps, according to The Washington Post. The region of Xinjiang, where Disney filmed scenes for the movie, is the site of alleged genocide against Uighur Muslims, and where Beijing is accused of detaining more than 1 million Uighur Muslims.
The credits also thank the publicity department of CPC Xinjiang Uighur Autonomy Region Committee, a state propaganda agency. Altogether, Disney thanked four propaganda departments and a public security bureau in Xinjiang, the site of what is deemed some of the worst human rights abuses today.
To make Mulan, Disney worked with four propaganda departments in the Chinese region of Xinjiang, the site of a genocide against Muslims, and the Xinjiang public security bureau. This is a horrific. Here's my article on the subject, and a thread on why. https://t.co/jlbv7QusCb
— Isaac Stone Fish (@isaacstonefish) September 7, 2020
Disney did not respond CBNC, which reported the news of activists highlighting these Mulan credits thanking the CCP. This just adds to the pile of political controversies that Mulan has accrued, including star Liu Yifei's support for the Hong Kong police's actions against protesters.
Disney Workers Concerned About Underreported COVID-19 Cases
On top of that, Disney is facing allegations from employees that the company is under-reporting COVID-19 cases, "alerting unions only to the positive test results of their members—often days after the fact, risking further exposure," according to The Daily Beast.
Disney workers expressed their concerns that Disney is intentionally under-reporting coronavirus case numbers and clearing COVID-positive employees to return to work.
Matt Bell, a spokesperson for UFCW Local 324, one of a dozen unions representing workers, or "cast members," at Disneyland, told The Daily Beast that Disney reported just two positive cases among their staff — one on July 17 and another on August 5 — but did not provide details on who might have been exposed. Even high ranking members of the unions are unsure about the size of possible outbreaks, and none could confirm the total number of coronavirus cases among the Disney workforce.
Disney World in Florida reopened its parks in July, while Disneyland Resort hotels, shopping, dining have been slowly reopening in phases as most of California remains closed amid high coronavirus cases.