China against Hollywood: Visible and Invisible Walls

Abstract

Hollywood’s global expansion has been met with resistance in many countries. To resist Hollywood, some countries have developed their own way according to their tradition and relationship with the US in politics, economy, culture and diplomacy. Since the People’s Republic of China was founded, mainland China’s government policy, main-stream ideology, cultural values, economic status and relationship with the US have been ever changing. China is assumed to have adopted various measures to resist Hollywood. The current study suggests that game theory can provide a broad and useful guiding framework in analyzing the relationship, the strategic interactions in particular, between China and Hollywood. This article has discussed the interactions between China and Hollywood at the three stages, namely the planned-economy period (1949-1977), the transitional period of reform and opening-up (1978-1993) and the opening period of China’s film market to the West including Hollywood (1994-2009). It is argued that the game between China and Hollywood at each stage is characterized by the corresponding political and economic policies. As a result of this ongoing game, both parties will co-exist through cultural diversities and Hollywood’s expansion in China.