Annotated Republic of China Regulations/Regulations Governing the Classification of Motion Pictures/1988

Regulations Governing the Classification of Motion Pictures of the Republic of China

The Regulations Governing the Classification of Motion Pictures of the Republic of China

  • Approved on August 31, 1987, by the Executive Yuan Letter (76) Wen No. 20208, and promulgated January 1, 1988, by the Government Information Office Decree (77) Ming Ying II No. 00002.
  • Revision approved on May 20, 1988, by the Executive Yuan Letter (77) Wen No. 13029, and promulgated June 8, 1988, by the Government Information Office Decree (77) Ming Ying II No. 07867.
  • Revisions of Articles 2, 3, 5 and 11 approved on March 7, 1994, by the Executive Yuan Letter (83) Wen No. 8277, and promulgated April 1, 1994, by the Government Information Office Decree (83) Ciang Ying II No. 04158.
  • Revision of Article 1 and repeal of Article 10 promulgated on December 23, 2002, by the Government Information Office Decree Sin Ying II No. 0910521473A.

Article 1
  • These Regulations were stipulated in accordance with Paragraph 1, Article 30 of the Motion Picture Law.
Article 2
  • Motion pictures that have been examined and approved for screening shall be classified into the following categories:
  1. Restricted category (abbreviated as “R”): Viewing is not permitted for those under 18.
  2. Parental guidance category (abbreviated as “PG”): Viewing is not permitted for children under 12; attention and guidance from parents, teachers, or seniors are required for adolescent viewers between 12 and 17.
  3. Protected category (abbreviated as “P”): Viewing is not permitted for children under six; children viewers between six and 11 shall be accompanied and given guidance by parents, teachers, seniors, or adult relatives or friends.
  4. General audiences category (abbreviated as “G”): Viewing is permitted for audiences of all ages.
Article 3
  • A motion picture shall not be suitable for viewing by adolescents and children and shall be placed in the “R” category if one of the following circumstances exists:
  1. It depicts in detail gambling techniques, drug abuse, drug trafficking, brothel visits, robbery, kidnapping, burglary, smuggling, gangster activities, or other criminal actions, which could induce imitation.
  2. Its plot heavily involves terror, bloodshed, atrocity, or psychological abnormality.
  3. It presents sexual obscenity through action, image, language, or sound.
Article 4
  • A motion picture shall not be suitable for viewing by children and shall be placed in the “PG” category if one of the following circumstances exists:
  1. It involves sex, crime, violence or fights, bizarre or monstrous phenomena, or phenomena that reflect social aberrations, which could adversely affect the mental health of children.
  2. It uses obscene language or dialogue with unhealthy connotations.
Article 5
  • A motion picture without the circumstances specified in Articles 3 and 4 shall be placed in the “P” category if it involves sex, presents plots of terror, or confuses the code of morality. Children viewers shall be accompanied and guided by parents, teachers, seniors, or adult relatives or friends to ensure that the mental health of the children is not adversely affected.
Article 6
  • Motion pictures that are permitted for screening and are not in the “R”, “PG”, and “P” categories shall be placed in the “G” category.
Article 7
  • Motion pictures that require the plot of nudity but do not play up on sex shall be placed in the “R”, “PG”, “P”, or “G” category.
Article 8
  • A motion picture production or distribution business shall file an application for the review of a motion picture in accordance with Article 25 of the Motion Picture Law and Article 28 of the Enforcement Rules of the Motion Picture Law, and shall fill out, according to its contents, the intended category for the motion picture and the category in which it was placed in the place of origin (waived if not categorized) for review and approval by the central competent authorities.
Article 9
  • A motion picture production or distribution business which disagrees with the category approved by the central competent authorities may apply for a second review of the motion picture originally submitted. A motion picture may be additionally reviewed once only.
Article 10
  • Repealed.
Article 11
  • These Regulations shall take effect on the day of their promulgation.

Note: This is a translation from the Chinese text of the regulations. In case of any discrepancy between the Chinese and English texts, the Chinese text shall govern.

Template:PD-TW Source: http://law.moj.gov.tw/Eng/Fnews/FnewsContent.asp?msgid=589&msgType=en