Actress Angelina Jolie has become a target for Chinese film fans after questioning director Ang Lee's links to their nation in a media interview.

The 39-year-old was promoting her new movie `Maleficent`, which is set to open in China later this month, when she was asked to name her favourite Chinese director, reports contactmusic.com.

She chose the `Life of Pi` filmmaker, and then stated: "I am not sure if you consider Ang Lee Chinese; he's Taiwanese, but he does many Chinese-language films with many Chinese artists and actors, and I think his works and the actors in his films are the ones I am most familiar with and very fond of."

The remarks courted controversy because Taiwan and China have been at odds since 1949, and the Chinese people see Taiwan as a renegade province.

Jolie's comments prompted a series of scathing attacks online, with some Chinese film fans threatening to boycott her movies, according to The Wall Street Journal.

One upset fan wrote: "By implying that Taiwan and China are two separate countries, in a moment of excitement, a brilliant woman became a stupid laughing stock."

Another called the actress "a deranged Taiwan independence supporter."

`Maleficent` is scheduled for release in China June 20.