China says Christian Bale should feel embarrassed

BEIRUT - The Associated Press

English actor Christian Bale speaks to journalists during an interview on the red carpet as he arrives for an event of the Zhang Yimou-directed new movie "The Flowers of War" in Beijing, China. AP Photo

A Chinese government spokesman says Christian Bale should feel embarrassed for trying to visit an activist while he was in the country to promote a movie that China has submitted for an Oscar.

Bale was physically stopped by government-backed guards from visiting blind activist Chen Guangcheng in eastern China last week. A CNN crew he was traveling with recorded the scuffle.

Asked whether the publicity has been embarrassing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said Wednesday he thought the actor should feel embarrassed not China.

He says the actor was invited by director Zhang Yimou to attend the opening ceremony of the film "The Flowers of War." Lui said: "He was not invited to fabricate news or shoot films in a certain village."