If you weren’t scared before now you should be
- Draft law submitted to NPC Standing Committee for review calls for more online content and technologies aimed at spreading patriotism
- It also contains provisions on activities such as singing the national anthem and reciting constitutional oaths
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China plans to roll out a new law that would push patriotic education for internet users, schoolchildren and overseas Chinese.
The draft law was submitted for review on Monday at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s top legislature, according to state news agency Xinhua.
The full draft of the law has not yet been made public, with only some details released in state media reports.
The draft law requires online content providers to strengthen the creation and dissemination of patriotic content, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
It would also require online content and service providers to develop and use new platforms, technologies and products to actively spread patriotism online, it said.
Xinhua said enacting the patriotic education law held “great and far-reaching significance for uplifting the national spirit, uniting the strength of the people, advancing the construction of a strong nation and achieving national rejuvenation”
Ever since Chinese President Xi Jinping assumed power and tightened the Communist Party’s grip on ideological work, China’s top internet regulator has regularly pushed the use of innovative media for political education amid frequent campaigns to “clean up” internet content that does not align with Beijing’s ideological views.
Over the years, China has built a sophisticated system to control online information to support the party’s legitimacy. In March, the top internet regulator called for using online media to create content targeting youth through “political education”.
The draft law also contains specific provisions targeting “overseas Chinese”, according to CCTV.
