Gong Li Now Singaporean

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Photo -----> [img=http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/3315/stimagesjegongli28xh8.th.jpg]

Aug 24, 2008
Citizen Gong Li
Chinese actress said to have taken up Singapore citizenship; local authorities remain tight-lipped
By Jamie Ee Wen Wei
The white chair had a small label with the words 'Gong Li'.

But no one arrived to sit on it.

At the Supreme Court Auditorium last night, 150 new Singapore citizens gathered to receive their citizenship certificates from Speaker of Parliament Abdullah Tarmugi at the National Citizenship Ceremony.

Indian-born scientist Colin Gerard D'Silva, 42, was in the chair next to the one for 'Gong Li'.

He wondered: Could it really be the acclaimed Chinese actress, star of movies like Red Sorghum, Curse Of The Golden Flower and Memoirs Of A Geisha?

'I thought it might be her, or someone with the same name,' said Mr D'Silva, who works in Proctor & Gamble as its associate director of external relations.

Well, the answer is most probably 'yes'.

Sources had tipped off The Sunday Times that Gong Li, 42, one of China's most famous actresses, had applied for Singapore citizenship and was supposed to collect her pink IC at the event last night.

She married Singaporean tobacco businessman Ooi Hoe Seong in 1996. He is said to be based in Hong Kong.

When contacted, the authories were tight-lipped about the identity of 'Gong Li' although an official expressed surprise that we had heard about it.

An Immigration and Checkpoints Authority spokesman said she was unable to comment on individual cases due to confidentiality issues.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), which organised the event, would only say that 'a person by the name of Gong Li was supposed to be at the event'.

Still, some officials at the event were clearly expecting the superstar to show up. Two were overheard discussing the actress. They even pointed out the actress' seat - No. 133 - to The Sunday Times.

But she didn't turn up in the end.

When The Sunday Times contacted Gong Li's friends in Singapore, some were shocked to hear that the actress has become a Singaporean.

Photographer Wee Khim, 44, who last worked with Gong Li in June for a L'Oreal commercial in Thailand, said it was 'quite a big move' to switch citizenships.

But celebrity hairstylist David Gan was not surprised at all. He said it was 'old news'.

'I knew about it a few months ago. She told me she applied for a Singapore passport. I told her it's good and I even congratulated her,' he said in Mandarin yesterday.

Gan, who is in his 40s, revealed that Gong Li had stayed in Singapore for a week in May to apply for the citizenship. He did not ask her why she decided to become a Singaporean.

Noting that he also became a Singapore citizen, the Malaysian-born hairstylist said: 'Singapore is a good place. She travels a lot and it's convenient to hold a Singapore passport. A lot of stars like to stay here too. There's no paparazzi. When I walk down Orchard Road with Gong Li, nothing happens.'

Both Singapore and China do not recognise dual nationality.

To become a Singaporean, an applicant is required to renounce his foreign citizenship at his embassy in Singapore.

The final step would be to attend a citizenship ceremony to collect his Singapore identity card. All new citizens are required to do so and if they can't attend one ceremony, they will be rescheduled for another.

The ceremony is held at the constituency level or at the national level. In the latter, selected groups are chosen to get their papers in a more formal setting.

Gong Li, who was born in east China's Shandong province, is most famous for her acclaimed Zhang Yimou movies like Red Sorghum and Judou. She broke into the Hollywood scene in 2005, playing a Japanese geisha in Memoirs Of A Geisha. It was the first of three big English-language productions she has shot since.

Her wedding to Mr Ooi was held at the top-floor restaurant of the Bank of China building in Hong Kong and guests included Lin Ching-hsia, Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui.

Mr Ooi has a daughter, now 30, from a previous marriage, but he keeps a low profile.

In earlier reports, the actress had told the media that she did not intend to make Singapore her home. 'No, I doubt it. Hong Kong and Beijing will still be my bases because of my work,' she said in 1996.

She is said to fly to Singapore two to three times a year and enjoys the shopping and food - like bak kut teh (pork ribs soup) and prawn noodles - here.

It is not known how her new identity will affect her work.

Besides her filming commitments, she is also reported to be an elected member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's lower house.

Last year, she attended a session of the CPPCC in which she made a proposal on environmental issues.

Some were more than happy to have the Chinese actress become a Singaporean.

Said China-born Jasmine Li, 33, an assistant secretary who became a Singapore citizen last year: 'Now Singapore will have an extra star.'

[Neighbour]

That's good news for Singapore!
Next we will have the whole China here as citizens ...

[goofybaby69]

Originally Posted by Neighbour

That's good news for Singapore!
Next we will have the whole China here as citizens ...

Yeah especially all the Olympic hostesses with fair pearl smooth skin. Give them instant citizenship without first becoming PR.

[Regular1000]

Originally Posted by Neighbour

That's good news for Singapore!
Next we will have the whole China here as citizens ...

Excuse me... did u meant HOLE of China!?

[Cunnosieur]

Regular1000 Re: Gong Li Now Singaporean

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote:
Originally Posted by Neighbour
That's good news for Singapore!
Next we will have the whole China here as citizens ...

Excuse me... did u meant HOLE of China!?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lao Bang Lao Bang

Lai Ma Lai Ma

Shuai Ge Shuai Ge

Wo Fu Wu Heng Hao De...

Hai ya hai ya...

[jt.diva]

so from the news I been reading in singapore,

if Gong Li wins some actress awards, Singapore newspapers can put

"Singapore Actresses Wins Awards!"

[pumpharder]

Will she be joining the MediaCorp? If so, i dont think MediaCorp can afford to pay her

[sex4LiFe]

Gong Li, Singaporean?

Does that mean I have to pay her local rates for her services? 200-300/2/90?

Or she still accept PRC rate? 80-120/2/90?

[Cytan7]

Hahahaha.... that's a good one!!

Originally Posted by sex4LiFe

Gong Li, Singaporean?

Does that mean I have to pay her local rates for her services? 200-300/2/90?

Or she still accept PRC rate? 80-120/2/90?

[Horlan2008]

Originally Posted by sex4LiFe

Gong Li, Singaporean?

Does that mean I have to pay her local rates for her services? 200-300/2/90?

Or she still accept PRC rate? 80-120/2/90?

Most likely its local rate. More expensive rates.... that;s the price of PINK I/C

[pakpak2001]

Originally Posted by Regular1000

Excuse me... did u meant HOLE of China!?

=====================================
haha
when she is bring her 'biao mei' to cum to sexgapore?

[Hooters666]

I thought I read somewhere that she is no longer married to that Singaporean. Let me search and if its true it will not make sense to become SG citizen. And also why she wants to be SG Citizen..KNN..Is it to buy HDB or what?

[lenux]

Time for an imported TTAS president. Who knows, she can lead our men table tennis team into 2012 olympic final.

[toilet$50]

Originally Posted by lenux

Time for an imported TTAS president. Who knows, she can lead our men table tennis team into 2012 olympic final.

if they can i;ll kua my lan pai.so they can practice in table

[Cunnosieur]

She's past her productive years...

PR should be given to PRC mei meis below 30yo...

They come to marry n bonk our SG men...

Then we can have more babies...