Criticism spiral over Chinese nepo baby privilege

(MENAFN) The year was expected to be a milestone in the career of Chinese actress Nashi, who had landed major roles in two big-budget films along with a much-awaited television series. However, in June, her promising trajectory took a sharp turn when controversy erupted over her academic qualifications from more than ten years ago, igniting widespread online criticism and prompting an official inquiry into her educational background.

The impact was swift and severe. Her name was removed from the cast list of the TV drama Lychees in Chang'an, and several brand partnerships quickly dissolved. Nashi became the latest public figure in China to come under fire as public sentiment increasingly turns against those perceived to benefit unfairly from privilege. To ease the mounting discontent, authorities have responded with formal investigations.

Over recent months, several high-profile cases have captured attention, involving not just actresses but also a Harvard alumna and a prominent doctor from a leading Beijing hospital. All were young women accused of using influential family ties to bypass merit-based systems.

“There’s privilege every year, but this year there’s more than ever,” commented one user on the microblogging platform Weibo. Another user added, “I would love to see more scandals like this. They are truly eye-opening.”

Research indicates that as unemployment rises and economic growth slows, many young people in China feel disillusioned—believing that success now depends more on personal connections, or guanxi, than on effort or achievement.

In Nashi’s case, critics allege she exploited her mother’s standing in the entertainment industry to gain admission into an elite drama academy. The institution in question offered a program specifically for ethnic Mongolian students, a category that included both Nashi and her mother, who also attended the same school during the 1980s.

The controversy intensified when past interview footage emerged in which Nashi admitted she had not met one of the program’s key conditions—returning to serve in Inner Mongolia after graduation. Instead, she left China to continue her studies in Norway, a decision that fueled further accusations of exploiting a system designed to benefit underrepresented communities.

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