Lee Hsing: Will always promote cross-Straits exchange of film industry

TAIPEI -- Lee Hsing, a 90-year-old acclaimed Taiwan film director, said Friday he will always be dedicated to promoting exchange between the film industries across the Taiwan Straits.

Lee, a legendary figure in Taiwan's film industry, told reporters that he hopes young film directors in Taiwan and the Chinese mainland can step up communication, exchange and cooperation.

"I believe younger generations of film directors will make better works, and young audiences on the Chinese mainland and Taiwan will like films from the other side of the Strait," Lee said at the launch ceremony for an exhibition in Taipei, which showcased valuable material related to the making of his films.

Born in Shanghai in 1930, Lee moved to Taiwan with his family in 1948. Since the late 1950s, Lee has directed and produced more than 60 films in his career, winning numerous awards.

In the 1960s, Lee was considered the leader of a film genre that portrayed the life of everyday people in Taiwan. "The Story of a Small Town" was among his most successful films.

In recent years, Lee has been active in promoting cross-Strait cultural exchanges. Film shows featuring Lee's works were held in Beijing in 2009 and 2015. In May of this year, four of his films were screened in Beijing as part of a cross-Straits film show.

"I haven't really thought about how much help I can be for promoting cross-Straits exchanges, but as long as I'm alive, I will be dedicated to it," Lee said.