The China clampdown on huge celebrity salaries started by reports of $25million earning by an actress prompts the government to act to cut it in the bud. Blaming it on chaotic fan culture drives celebrity worship, which is why a few enjoy super salaries.
A five-year plan for all TV productions by the National Radio and Television Administration dictates that actors are only allowed 40-percent of the production.
Limit on Chinese Superstars' Salaries
The move started after complaints about the payment of $25 million netted by a particular actress, which led to a crackdown, reported the Daily Mail.
Specified in the plans published this week, added to the rules that a top actor can go no further than 70-percent of what the whole cast gets, noted the South China Morning Post.
Chinese administration officials are serious in dealing with celebrities admired by fans who would be showing off their wealth on social media is prohibited. In a question about the massive pay of actress Zheng Shuang for her role in one TV show.
It was followed by an inquiry by the national authority's Beijing branch, which remarked the TV production team had not followed the guidelines of the cost proportion rules. Local news was not informed which show did not follow.
Beijing government Fines Celebrities
Shuang got fined £34million by authorities due to avoiding taxes from 2019 to 2020, and producers of the show were reprimanded and told to fire her.
Another victim of the China clampdown of high celebrity salaries is the Taiwanese lead actor Huo Jianhua and actress Zhou Xun, of TV show Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace in 2018, were given $7.8million from a total production expense of $47.1million, noted Wion News.
A warning is issued to actors and agencies who avoid taxes with ying-yang contracts that hide the real salary paid to popular actors.
Last December, Viya, the 'queen of live streaming in China, was ordered to pay £160million due to tax evasion. The government was prompted to do more to show it wanted to control fan culture. She sells via the Taobao Live Platform for varied merchandise online.
Another celebrity from the internet, Huang Wei, had to pay fines for concealing her earnings, including other offenses way back in 2019 and 2020, according to the tax bureau in Hangzhou, a city in southern China.
She did live streaming with about 18million followers on the Weibo site 80million more on Taobao. She had to issue a public apology, mentioning that she accepted the punishment.
Viya, the live stream star, was swept into the wide crackdown on tech monopolies, although looking into private education, social media, and celebrity culture included.
Tax Evasion Consequences in China
Soon after, the Shanghai tax officials would fine Zheng Shuang, 30, last August to avoid taxes from 2019 to 2020 when working on a program.
Her hit 2009 of the Taiwanese drama 'Meteor Shower' was followed by several top-rating shows and movies. A state broadcast regulator stopped the show from airing even prohibited hiring her.
Beijing wants to control chaotic fan culture and excess by celebrities that are not beneficial in its view. China imposes a clampdown to stop huge celebrity salaries and implement stricter guidelines for compliance too. Chinese authorities want submission, or consequences will follow.
