Beijing, May 15 (Reuters): Chinese media have speculated that flashes of underwear and other “inappropriate” images in the China scenes of Mission Impossible 3 (MI3) might jeopardise the mainland release of Tom Cruise’s latest Hollywood blockbuster.

Despite hitting American screens over a week ago, China’s State Administration of Radio, Film and Television , is yet to approve its mainland distribution.

Underwear hanging out to dry and other images “harmful to China” might be responsible, local papers said.

“In the Shanghai scenes, all the roofs and alleys have raggedy clothes hanging from bamboo sticks everywhere,” said the Beijing Times.

Many movie-goers found the scenes shot in Shanghai and Xitang village “inappropriate”, given both locations “became places for the storage of chemical weapons”.

“Chinese viewers will have trouble accepting this plot of foreign criminal elements fighting publicly in Shanghai,” the paper quoted a viewer as saying.