China’s cancel culture is nationalist, not woke
One comedian finds himself unwittingly on the end of it
Dog jokes are usually fairly inoffensive. The audience laughed when Li Haoshi, a Beijing-based comedian, wisecracked at a show on May 13th about seeing his two dogs chasing a squirrel. The dogs’ zeal, he said, reminded him of military slogans associated with the People’s Liberation Army (pla): “Forge exemplary conduct! Fight to win!” The slogans have become something of a motto for the armed forces (and are also favourites of President Xi Jinping). The incident may have ended Mr Li ‘s career.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Dog’s dinner”
From the May 27th 2023 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from China
China approves the world’s most expensive infrastructure project
It has China’s neighbours on edge
Xi Jinping has much to worry about in 2025
A struggling economy, rising social tensions and Donald Trump will test China’s leader
How China turns members of its diaspora into spies
America is on the hunt for these non-traditional agents. But its efforts risk backfiring
How to get a free meal in China
As the economy slows, more restaurants are offering food to those in need
China’s economy is in for another rough year
Bold action is needed to turn things around
Chinese hackers are deep inside America’s telecoms networks
Rooting them out is proving a challenge