The second part of the Chinese government crack down on celebrity earnings is now in effect. The first part was investigation and self-reporting of tax evasion with the biggest scapegoat being top actress Fan Bing Bing, you fly the highest then you’re the first to be shot down. The second part requires that stars and production companies cap salaries going forward, and will also retroactively apply for recent productions. Dramas and variety shows much cap salaries to 800,000 RMB per episode and 10 million RMB for a season. Top stars Zhao Wei and Shu Qi have reportedly returned 4/5th of their salary for recently participating in season 2 of hit show Chinese Restaurant. Salary inflation has gone insane in entertainment especially in China where it’s the center of growth and expansion so this will be a good moment keep things in check. Continue reading →