China may mandate prison for disrespecting national anthem
BEIJING — China’s legislature is considering a bill mandating prison sentences of up to three years for disrespecting the national anthem, amid rising nationalist appeals from the ruling Communist Party under the leadership of President Xi Jinping.
The move reported Tuesday by state media follows Xi’s appointment to a second five-year term as party leader, for which he has designated as a central motif of realizing the “Chinese Dream” of a powerful, prosperous nation.
Since taking office in 2012, Xi has established a growing cult of personality that leans heavily on his image as a patriotic leader who brooks no slight to national dignity. Hallmarks of his term in office have included a stronger military, bolder foreign policy and aggressive economic expansion abroad, as well as sharply reduced space for criticism or political dissent at home.
The original draft legislation proposed in August called for 15 days in jail for infractions such as playing the anthem on occasions deemed improper, including funerals, or for changing its wording or presenting it in a disrespectful manner.