Walt Disney denies investment in some "Disney" branded projects in China

Cartoon characters join in the Chinese traditional dragon dance at the Disney Resort in Shanghai, east China, January 11, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua]

The Walt Disney Company (China) Limited has issued a statement saying it has no financial interest in the Zhengzhou cultural creative park project.

In the written statement, the company said it had signed a memorandum with the Henan provincial government in November 2015 to boost the local retail industry, but at no time invested in the Zhengzhou cultural creative park directly or taken part in its construction. The company said it did however authorize a third party to provide authorized Disney products to consumers in the park.

The clarification comes after growing concern among the public of the authenticity of Disney branded merchandising and activities at the attraction.

The company behind the Disney Zhengzhou project, located in Zhongmou county in central China's Henan province, is Dimei International Culture Investment Company, whose legal representative is listed as Meng Dekai.

Walt Disney Company (China) says it has no connection with any companies owned by Meng Dekai.

Since 2011, some industrial and cultural parks in Henan, Anhui, and Zhejiang provinces, and in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region have been using the "Disney" name. Most of the projects reportedly involve senior managers of Walt Disney.

Walt Disney Company (China) said it won't make any comments about the behaviour of individual employees.

The only official Disneyland and resort projects in China are the Shanghai Disneyland Park and Hong Kong Disneyland.