Gong Li, an internationally
known actress, listens to the report delivered by Jia Qinglin,
chairman of the National Committee of the 10th Chinese People's Political
Consultative Conference, at the fifth session of the CPPCC in
the Great Hall of the People in Beijing March 3, 2007. Gong is a CPPCC
member. [Xinhua]
|
She's known the world over for
her stunning looks and acting prowess. But she revealed another, and a much more
serious, side of her character yesterday. No, she was not talking about her
latest flick, Hannibal Rising, but the plight of our planet.
"Things will become really terrible if we don't take environmental protection
more seriously," said Gong Li, who made news for all the wrong reasons for her
dresses in The Curse of the Golden Flower. 
Talking to China Daily during a break in the Chinese People's Political
Consultative Conference (CPPCC) group discussion, Gong said she had submitted a
proposal on environmental protection to the country's top political advisory
body.
This is not the first proposal that Gong has submitted, for she has been
doing so every year since being elected a member in 1998.
In this year's proposal, she has reminded people of the importance and
urgency to process garbage, sewage and excess gas. Though detailed measures are
still being considered, she believed it was important to first make people aware
of the issue.
Garbage processing drew Gong's attention several years ago when she learned
from the media that the country was facing a large number of garbage pile-ups.
She said the "garbage hills" are "terrible and dangerous".
"If I had the time, I would like to take pictures of those garbage heaps to
make people aware of the dangers they pose," she said.
Gong talked about a recent trip to her hometown in East China's Shandong
Province, where she found sewage and excess gas were not been properly treated
in many small cities, posing a great threat to the environment.
As an international star, Gong travels abroad a lot. Some countries, France
in particular, she said in a lighter vein, are "more favored by God" because
they seem to have a relatively better natural environment.
Even though nature seems to have bestowed China with several adverse
elements, she believes the country can do a good job if its people realize the
importance of the environment and start doing something from today.
The interview was interrupted by other journalists and CPPCC members
requesting her autograph. Gong conceded that celebrities could influence people,
but she didn't think fame alone could drive a person to a good deed.
But the actress emphasized that if any institution wanted to promote
environmental protection, she would love to join in.
"Maybe we don't call it the face messenger," she said with a smile. "I just
feel very happy contributing to public welfare service."
(China Daily 03/05/2007 page2)
