Jackie Chan, Other Stars Perform at Beijing Bird's Nest

 

Jackie Chan and a host of Chinese pop stars performed at Beijing’s massive Bird’s Nest stadium on Friday without a hint of the uproar caused by the veteran action star’s recent comments about freedom and China.

The 55-year-old “Rush Hour” star told a business forum last month that freedom may not be a good thing for authoritarian mainland China. Critics called his comments an insult to the Chinese people.

Chan’s spokesman, Solon So, later said Chan’s comments were taken out of context and that the actor was referring to freedom in the entertainment industry and not Chinese society at large.

There were no signs of protests as Chan took the stage Friday at the site of the Beijing Olympics’ opening and closing ceremonies, with the 91,000-capacity stadium about three-quarters full as the concert got under way.

Chan told the crowd that organizers sold 70,000 tickets. The controversy over Chan’s remarks was widely reported in Hong Kong and Taiwan, but largely ignored in mainland China.

Chan sang the patriotic song “Descendants of the Dragon.” Other performers included Taiwanese singer-songwriter Jonathan Lee and Hong Kong’s Emil Chau, Alan Tam, Joey Yung and Hacken Lee.

South Korean singer Rain and the South Korean boy band Super Junior were to perform later.

The concert, timed to coincide with China’s May 1-3 Labor Day national holiday, is the first major event to take place at the Bird’s Nest since the closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics and Beijing Paralympics and came amid questions about the stadium’s future.

Chan is known for his unique brand of action comedy, but has also dabbled in singing and sang with other stars at both the opening and closing ceremonies.

5/1/2009 9:38 AM BEIJING (AP)