Rush Hour 3, the new action comedy starring one of China's favourite sons, Jackie Chan, won't be shown in China.

"We think the market for the movie is relatively weak," Xiao Ping, a vice-president at state-run China Film Group's import and export arm, said Tuesday, confirming the film will not be shown.

Chris Tucker, left, and Jackie Chan at the premiere of Rush Hour 3 at Mann's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
(Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press)

China allows only about 20 foreign films into the country each year, and has already allowed in Transformers, Spider-Man 3  and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

But the problem may not be the competition so much as China's film censorship board.

Variety is reporting that film censors have barred the film because of scenes featuring a Chinese organized crime family.

The film features action star Chan and Chris Tucker tackling triads in Paris.

Chinese officials have said the comedy, which has mild racial humour as well as scenes involving criminal gangs, is "fundamentally anti-Chinese," Variety reports.

China's Film Bureau often asks foreign filmmakers to edit scenes they consider offensive, but Rush Hour 3 producers have not been invited to make changes.

Censors recently cut scenes of Chow Yun-Fat playing a bald, scarred pirate in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, saying the images insulted Chinese people.

Chan owns the distribution rights to Rush Hour 3 in Hong Kong and China through his JC Group, but the company said it had no news of the film's status in China.