Comedian’s Mockery of Government Slogan Results in $2M Fine and Production Halt.

Chinese Comedian Faces Backlash for Joke About Military Slogan

A popular Chinese comedian, Li Haoshi, is facing consequences for a joke he made during a stand-up routine that poked fun at a military slogan introduced by President Xi Jinping in 2013. Li’s joke involved his two dogs chasing a squirrel, with the punchline referencing the slogan “Maintain exemplary conduct, fight to win.” The joke went viral on social media and sparked a government investigation, with the Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau accusing Li of “severely insulting” the People’s Liberation Army. Li’s comedy studio was fined $2 million and its performances in Beijing were suspended indefinitely.

Insulting the Military is a Crime in China

China passed a law in 2021 banning insults and slanderous statements regarding its military, and Li’s case is not the first to test the law. A journalist who questioned the country’s role in the Korean War was convicted and sentenced to seven months in prison. Li has apologized for his joke and posted a statement on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, where he had over 136,000 followers before his account was suspended. However, Beijing police are still investigating the incident, and Li’s troubles may not be over.

Lessons Learned

• Be careful what you joke about in China, especially when it comes to the military.
• Insulting the military is a crime in China, and the consequences can be severe.
• China’s government takes its military very seriously and will not tolerate any disrespect towards it.

Li’s case serves as a reminder that freedom of speech is not universal and that comedians, like all public figures, must be aware of the cultural and political sensitivities of their audience.

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