Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan caused a stir for branding U.S. the “most corrupt” country on a Chinese TV program last month.

His comments apparently infuriated some Americans, who slammed him as an “anti-American” who reflects China’s insecurity in itself.

The Cantonese movie star told Phoenix TV in December last year that corruption in China was continuously on the decline. He defended the nation by calling other countries “also corrupt.”

“You talk about corruption. The whole world…Does corruption exist in the U.S? It is the most corrupt country in the world!” he said. “Where did the great breakdown come from? It’s the (rest of the) world, the U.S…” he said. 

He went on to say, “We know our country has many problems. We should only discuss among ourselves. In front of foreign countries, China is the best,” he said.

Max Fisher, a foreign affairs blogger for the Washington Post, wrote in an article that the movie star famous for martial arts on screen would surprise his fans again.

“To the degree that Chan’s comments were anti-American, they likewise reflect a common Chinese view of the United States, one that is rooted not just in attitudes toward America but in China’s proud, but sometimes insecure, view of itself,” he wrote.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)