The mainland China star-studded film “Battle of Penghu Sea” starring Yi Yang Qianxi and others unexpectedly withdrew from the Chinese New Year lineup in February this year. The film was originally set to dominate the summer prime time in China on July 25th, but just six days before its release, it was suddenly pulled from the schedule once again.
Rumors circulating on the internet claim that the “Ao Guangguo Comics” WeChat public account announced on the 19th that the film’s production company agreed to the last-minute withdrawal following a request from the regulatory authorities, and a new release date will be announced later. The official notice also stated that all promotional activities and pre-sales for the film have been suspended, digital distribution and mastering have been halted as well.
On May 22nd, the official Weibo account of “Battle of Penghu Sea” announced a scheduled release on July 25th, along with a 125-second trailer titled “The World Situation, Riding the Wind”. The narration in the trailer states, “Following orders, I command you to lead the fleet, conquer Penghu, capture Taiwan, and complete the unification of the world,” while the ending declares, “The reunification of Taiwan is irresistible.”
The film’s official Weibo account previously posted propaganda content such as “Penghu belongs to China, Taiwan is a part of China that cannot be separated since ancient times.”
“Battle of Penghu Sea” is set against the historical backdrop of the 1683 attack on Penghu led by Shi Lang, and filming started in 2024. The production company was highly ambitious in its early promotion, attempting to tightly link historical themes with the current cross-strait situation to garner market attention and political leverage. The film highlights the direction of renowned Hong Kong director Zheng Baorui, known for the success of “The Siege of Kowloon Walled City,” and features top-tier stars such as Yi Yang Qianxi, Zhao Liying, Hu Jun, and Du Jiang to attract a large fan base and media spotlight.
Despite the grandiose early promotion, the film’s excessive politicization of the narrative sparked significant controversy and polarized discussions, prompting sensitivity from the censorship authorities. There were widespread doubts that on the eve of its scheduled release on July 25th, the film failed to obtain the necessary public screening permit, known as the “dragon label,” and its promotional slogans involved sensitive cross-strait political implications, ultimately leading to the last-minute withdrawal.
In fact, the film was quietly removed from the Chinese New Year lineup in February, seen as a signal of a shift in the Chinese Communist Party’s Taiwan policy. During the “2026 Taiwan Work Conference” held from February 9th to 10th, Wang Huning, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, emphasized “maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait” and the concept of “cross-strait kinship,” indicating a noticeable softening compared to the previous rhetoric of “steadfastly promoting the great cause of reunifying the motherland.”
There are differing opinions among commentators regarding the CCP’s Taiwan policy: some believe that the CCP is facing internal and external challenges and is overwhelmed; others suggest that the CCP has abandoned military reunification in favor of infiltrating and influencing Taiwan’s political landscape to achieve its goal of taking over Taiwan; and some argue that despite resistance from the CCP military, CCP leader Xi Jinping is still attempting to push for a military attack on Taiwan.
Additionally, recent changes in the management and shareholding of “Jiangsu Xinghao Films,” one of the production companies behind “Battle of Penghu Sea,” as shown on the mainland China enterprise inquiry app, may also have contributed to the uncertainty surrounding the film’s release schedule. Currently, neither the production company nor the regulatory authorities have issued an official response, and it remains unknown whether the film will be re-edited for submission or rescheduled for release.