Netflix Sends Firm Response to GOP Senators Over Chinese Sci-Fi Adaptation Controversy – Variety

Netflix Sends Firm Response to GOP Senators Over Chinese Sci-Fi Adaptation Controversy - Variety thumbnail

Netflix has issued a firm response to the 5 Republican senators who puzzled its resolution to adapt “The Three-Body Arena” sci-fi original trilogy by Liu Cixin.

In a Sept. 24 letter, the senators, led by Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, pointed to disparaging remarks Liu had made about Uyghur Muslims in an interview final year, and suggested that Netflix must end its plans to adapt his books.

The streamer has stood firm in a responding letter, yet again and yet again pointing to the indisputable fact that “Mr. Liu is the creator of the books, no longer the creator of this series.”

“Mr. Liu’s comments are no longer reflective of the views of Netflix or of the indicate’s creators, nor are they piece of the narrate or themes of the indicate,” wrote Netflix vp of public policy Dean Garfield within the letter.

The firm added that it does “no longer accept as true with his comments,” nonetheless went on to remark that Liu’s views are “totally unrelated to his e book or this Netflix indicate.”

In their initial letter, the senators had accused Netflix of “complicity” over its resolution to adapt Liu’s work.

“We hold indispensable considerations with Netflix’s resolution to withhold out industry with an particular person that’s parroting unsafe CCP propaganda,” the senators wrote. “In the face of such atrocities in (Xinjiang), there no longer exist corporate choices of complacency, handiest complicity.”

In the Unusual Yorker interview in search recordsdata from, Liu pushed support on the interviewer’s questions referring to the camps in Xinjiang, and additionally defended the Chinese language system of authorities, asserting that democratization would lead to chaos.

Files of the series adaptation emerged earlier this month, coupled with the announcement that “Game of Thrones” producers David Benioff, D.B. Weiss would be writing alongside “The Terror” alumnus Alexander Woo, because the Netflix letter substances out.

Be taught the streamer’s corpulent response below:

Pricey Senators Blackburn, Scott, Cramer, Tillis, and McSally:

Thanks to your letter from September 23, and your passion within the upcoming Netflix series adaptation per The Three-Body Arena. First, we’d esteem to impress that Netflix does no longer feature a carrier in China. We address your questions and considerations below:

Q: Does Netflix agree that the Chinese language Communist Celebration’s interment of 1.8 to a few million Uyghurs in internment or labor camps per their ethnicity is unacceptable? 

A: Absolutely. As the UN Declaration of Human Rights (which China has signed) states “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”

Q: In impart to manual definite of any additional glorification of the CCP’s actions against the Uyghurs, or validation of the Chinese language regime and companies to blame for such acts, what steps will Netflix clutch to forged a predominant locate on this venture – to incorporate the firm’s broader relationship with Mr. Liu? 

A: Mr. Liu is the creator of the books, no longer the creator of this series. Mr. Liu’s comments are no longer reflective of the views of Netflix or of the indicate’s creators, nor are they piece of the narrate or themes of the indicate.

Q: Were Netflix senior executives aware of the statements made by Mr. Liu Cixin referring to the CCP’s genocidal acts earlier than entering into an agreement to adapt his work? If so, please outline the reasoning that led Netflix to bound forward with this venture. If no longer, please portray Netflix’s long-established direction of of due diligence and the gaps therein that led to this oversight. 

A: Mr. Liu is a Chinese language citizen residing in China – he’s the creator of the books, no longer the creator of this Netflix series. The creators are David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the creators of Game of Thrones, and Alexander Woo, government producer/creator on the series Lawful Blood.

Q: Does Netflix hold a policy referring to entering into contracts with public-going by means of folks who, both publicly or privately, promote tips inconsistent with Netflix’s firm tradition and tips? If so, please outline this policy. If no longer, please exclaim why no longer. 

A: Netflix judges particular person projects on their deserves. Mr. Liu is the creator of the e book – The Three Body Arena – no longer the creator of this indicate. We elevate out no longer accept as true with his comments, that are totally unrelated to his e book or this Netflix indicate. 

Sincerely,

Dean Garfield

Vice President, Global Public Protection

Netflix

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