Actor and martial arts legend Jackie Chan said he hopes to become a Communist Party member, but some party members say they don’t want him

• Hollywood martial arts legend Jackie Chan has expressed his desire to join the Chinese Communist Party.
• Chan said he saw the "greatness" of the Communist Party in how it "delivers what it promises."
• Chan's statement drew the ire of Chinese web users, some of whom said his "moral failings" disqualified him from party membership.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Hollywood martial arts superstar Jackie Chan has expressed his desire to become a card-carrying member of the Chinese Communist Party.

Chan was speaking at a Beijing symposium for Chinese film last week and was asked about his views on Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech at the Communist Party's centenary.

"When I'm abroad, I often say I'm proud to be Chinese. But I'm envious of those who are Chinese Communist Party members. I want to be a Party member, too," Chan said in a video seen by Insider.

"I can see the greatness of the Communist Party of China. It does what it says and delivers what it promises. What they set out to do in 100 years, they achieved in a few decades," he added.

Chan's patriotism, however, was snubbed by some commenters on Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter. The Weibo users questioned Chan's "moral character," citing incidences of his infidelity and his son Jaycee's drug offenses, saying it would disqualify him from becoming a Party member.

"He might love the country and be hardworking, but he has character problems. It's better if he doesn't join the party," said one user with the ID Zhuozhuo Drolma.

Some Weibo users were critical of Chan's lack of faithfulness in his marriage. In a 2015 memoir, he admitted he'd had an affair with actress Elaine Ng and had a child out of wedlock.

According to the Chinese media outlet China Daily, the process of obtaining Communist Party membership involves a detailed vetting procedure that takes into account one's ideology, character, and personal history.

Chan does not currently hold membership in the Communist Party. He is, however, a delegate in the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a Chinese government advisory body.

The martial arts star has, however, not been shy about professing his allegiance to the Chinese government.

Chan was front and center at the Party's massive 100th-anniversary celebrations at the Bird's Nest National Stadium in Beijing on June 28. There, he performed a rendition of "Defending the Yellow River," a song dating back to the days of the Sino-Japanese war.

He also expressed support for China's crackdown on Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests in 2019.

The South China Morning Post reported that Chan's comments in Beijing prompted ire from fans in Hong Kong once again, some of whom wrote on Twitter that they wish to "un-enjoy every one of his movies."

Chan's representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.