$1M fine for having too many kids

This file photo shows Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou attending a commercial event in Beijing in April.

• Renowned Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou penalized for violating China’s one-child policy


• Local authorities demand a hefty fine of 7.48 million yuan ($ 1.21 million)


• Zhang apologized in December for his “excessive children.”


• Zhang and his wife admitted to having two sons and a daughter

Hong Kong (CNN) — Oscar-nominated Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou has been fined 7.48 million yuan ($ 1.2 million) for breaching China’s one-child policy, authorities say.

A letter sent to Zhang by the family planning bureau of Binhu District of Wuxi City, Jiangsu province in eastern China on Thursday demanded that he pay a penalty for having two “beyond-the-quota” children.

The letter was posted on the district’s official account on Sina Weibo, China’s Twitter-like microblogging service.

The fine comes after Zhang apologized in an open letter for his “excessive children” in December. He and his wife, Chen Ting, admitted to having two sons and a daughter.

READ: ‘I have 3 kids,’ Chinese filmmaker admits

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“As a film director, it takes a lot of efforts and good movies for people to remember you, but having excessive children had ruined it all,” he said, according to Xinhua, China’s state news agency. “I sincerely apologize to everyone on my ‘excessive children’ case. I admit it’s my mistake and I won’t blame others for it.”

“I will learn my lessons, and I’m willing to cooperate with any investigation from family planning commission,” Zhang said.

Local officials in Jiangsu province calculated the fine based on the couple’s combined annual income, the document stated. Nine investigation teams had been sent to “collect evidence” since November.

The couple have to pay the fine within 30 days of receiving the letter, local authorities added.

Zhang’s case comes after China adopted new rules to ease its one-child policy in December.

READ: China eases one-child policy, ends re-education through labor camps

The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress passed a resolution to allow couples to have two children if one of the parents was an only child,

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