Actress' self-promotion improper

A CHINESE ACTRESS attending the 70th Cannes Film Festival, which started on May 17, has received some fierce criticism at home for wearing a gown containing elements of China's national flag. Beijing Youth Daily commented on Tuesday:

The incident has triggered a mixed reaction, with some claiming wearing the dress is an illegal act and others that it promoted China's image to an international audience.

The actress' choice of dress, legally speaking, does not constitute the crime of insulting the national flag. China adopted laws covering its national flag in 1990, which explicitly forbid the commercial and advertising use of the national flag and its design. The so-called national flag dress she designed herself does draw inspiration from elements of China's national flag, such as the color and the five stars, but its design is essentially different.