A decision by one of China’s most famous film stars to take Singaporean nationality has set off an online furore with many ardent nationalists branding her a traitor and a shame to her native country.

Gong Li, the 43-year-old star of such Hollywood movies as Memoirs of a Geisha, Miami Vice and Farewell My Concubine took the oath of citizenship at the weekend along with 149 other new citizens. Her husband, the Singaporean tobacco tycoon Ooi Hoe Soeng, accompanied her.

Beijing does not allow its people to hold double nationality and the star will be obliged to give up her Chinese citizenship. This means she will no longer be eligible for membership of an advisory body to the Chinese parliament – a largely honorary position that the government confers on many celebrities, successful businessmen and famed academics and scientists.

She attended the annual session of parliament last year. But state media reported that speculation of her plans to change her nationality meant she was left of a list of candidates for the session next March.

Most Netizens voiced fury at her decision to take her husband’s nationality. Commenting in a chat forum on popular portal Sohu.com, one said: “All traitors will be nailed to history’s mast of shame. We should resolutely reject any further contact with such people.”

Another fulminated: “Traitors like this don’t even love their own country. These people were only fake countrymen of ours. Let them slink off to other countries and die!”

Most of the comments on another portal, sina.com, followed a similar tone, reflecting the strident nationalism that has dominated Chinese cyberspace this year.

A few, however, voiced understanding of Ms Gong’s decision, noting the pressure such stars face in China and making veiled criticisms of the constraints on life – particularly for artists – in the communist country.

One said: “Why doesn’t anyone ask why people want to emigrate? We see one Chinese person after another taking U.S. citizenship. Why don’t we see Americans taking Chinese citizenship?”

One writer suggested that many of those criticising Gong Li would be only too ready to follow her example like moths to a flame – if only they had the opportunity. “My compatriots, as you blab here, can you really say you love your country? Ask yourself are you not moths as well?”

But the vein of nationalism runs deep. International criticism of a military crackdown on anti-Chinese protesters in Tibet following an uprising in the region in March provoked widespread anger. And when pro-Tibet demonstrators tried to disrupt the Olympic torch relay in cities such as London and Paris, anti-Western diatribes filled internet forums.

Gong Li married in 1996 and has long lived mostly outside China, working more recently in Hollywood.

She is far from the first star to give up Chinese nationality. Hong Kong-based action superstar Jet Li now holds U.S. citizenship as do director Chen Kaige and his film star wife, Chen Hong. Many more, such as Zhang Ziyi – star of Memoirs of a Geisha – hold Hong Kong citizenship, which enables them to travel easily while remaining Chinese nationals.

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