A draft law banning speech and dressing “detrimental to the spirit of Chinese people” has sparked debate in China.

If the law comes into force, people found guilty could be fined or jailed but the proposal does not yet spell out what constitutes a violation.

Social media users and legal experts have called for more clarity to avoid excessive enforcement.

China recently released a swathe of proposed changes to its public security laws - the first reforms in decades.

The clothing law has drawn immediate reaction from the public - with many online criticising it as excessive and absurd.

The contentious clauses suggest that people who wear or force others to wear clothing and symbols that “undermine the spirit or hurt the feelings of the Chinese nation” could be detained for up to 15 days and fined up to 5,000 yuan ($680; £550).

  • TimewornTraveler@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    I’m unable to find the original Chinese, but couldn’t “hurt national feelings” just as well be translated as “do emotional damage”? Like walking around London 1997 with a shirt that said “Princess Di deserved to die”? Now while that aint illegal in the UK (as far as I know) it’s at least a little less ridiculous to talk about trauma from events that affect a nation rather than this dismissive right-wing language of “hurt national feelings”.

    (this is not a pro-CCP comment please give me the benefit of the doubt)