Authorities in Beijing are introducing a blacklist of karaoke songs deemed to have "illegal content" that, among other things, threatens national security. This is the latest measure to suppress freedom of speech in a country where censorship is common, the world media write.
"Healthy and Upbeat"
China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism said it will establish a blacklist of karaoke songs to ban those with "illegal content" from karaoke bars across the country, Reuters reports.
Companies that provide songs for karaoke bars will have a responsibility to assess whether, among other things, they threaten national unity, sovereignty or territorial integrity.
There are nearly 50.000 karaoke establishments in China with a catalog of over 100.000 songs, which, according to the Chinese Ministry, makes it difficult to identify illegal songs.
The ministry said it is encouraging content providers to supply karaoke bars with "healthy and upbeat" music.
China, according to Reuters, strictly regulates and deletes content that includes violence, pornography or politically sensitive comments on social media and the Internet, and in recent months has punished live broadcasts on video platforms it deems "disgusting."
No "I'm not going to school"
In addition to endangering national security, according to the new regulations, songs can also be banned for endangering national honor and national interests, according to the BBC.
Songs that incite ethnic hatred and ethnic discrimination, violate the state's religious policy, as well as those that propagate obscenity, gambling, violence and other criminal activities will also be banned.
This is not the first time that China has banned karaoke songs, according to the British public service.
In 2015, China's Ministry of Culture published a blacklist of 120 songs that spoke of "obscenity, violence, crime, or harmed social morals."
Songs such as "Peking Hooligans", "Suicide Diary" and "I Don't Want to Go to School" were among those said to have "seriously problematic content", the state-run Global Times newspaper said.
Censorship in China is common
Banning karaoke songs that are not in line with communist ideology is Beijing's latest measure in suppressing free speech, The Times points out.
Official censorship is common in China, the British newspaper underlined, adding that social media regularly removes content deemed to threaten social stability or the government.
Songs by Hong Kong pro-democracy musicians such as Denise Ho and Anthony Wong have been banned from music-sharing sites.
Last year, Chinese censors also ordered the removal of 46 songs they said advocated drug use.
Songs by Chinese-Canadian singer Chris Wu, who was detained last month on suspicion of sexually assaulting women, have also been pulled from all music-sharing sites.
Ridicule on social networks
In announcing the tightening of state control over karaoke songs, the Ministry of Culture did not explain how the song could threaten national security, nor did it reveal the content of the blacklist, according to Agence France Presse.
However, as AFP points out, the national security law that Beijing imposed on Hong Kong last year criminalized the public performance of songs that were sung at anti-government protests in that city in 2019.
In 2019, Chinese music streaming sites removed unofficial protest anthems, including Les Miserables' "Do You Hear The People Sing," as well as some songs by Chinese rock musician Li Zhi about the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.
New regulations on karaoke songs, which come into effect on October 1, have been met with derision on the social network Weibo, according to AFP.
"Our culture has gone back 15 years. How many people will still go to karaoke, and they still need to be 'positive' - why don't they just sing the national anthem every day," said one user.
"Should I sing a positive song ten times to brainwash myself into being positive," asked another.
Measures to suppress the corporate culture of drinking
As well as banning karaoke songs that spread "harmful information", China is introducing measures to crack down on the after-hours drinking culture in Beijing's bid to respond to growing anger over allegations of sexual assaults on women, The Financial Times reports.
The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Chinese Communist Party's anti-corruption body, said pressure to drink alcohol could lead to criminal acts and that such practices should be replaced with "correct values".
The crackdown on behavior deemed inappropriate, the British newspaper points out, is the latest in a series of regulatory measures imposed on Chinese companies, including some of China's largest technology and gaming companies, which also affects global investors.
The warning from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection followed allegations that a manager at technology company Alibaba sexually assaulted a female worker, the Financial Times reported, saying the incident shed light on China's corporate drinking culture.
China's #MeToo movement, according to the newspaper, has built on discontent among young workers, posing a complex challenge to corporate and political leaders in Beijing.
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