Beijing, May 16 Chinese authorities have opened an investigation against a company, one of whose comedians has been accused of “offending soldiers” during a monologue, the official People’s Daily reported Monday.
The company, Xiaoguo Culture Media, issued a public apology on Monday after comedian Li Haoshi (also known as HOUSE) said on Saturday that he first saw his two adopted dogs when they were chasing squirrels, in an attitude that reminded him to the Chinese military slogan “Fight for victory, forge exemplary conduct”, includes a recording of the event circulating in the Chinese media.
The slogan is traditionally used to praise the courage of the soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army (Chinese Army) and their conduct.
Some netizens interpreted Li’s words as an insult to members of the Chinese military for comparing them to stray dogs.
“The stand-up comedy sector in China is going to be destroyed by Li’s words,” predicted a user of the Weibo social network, similar to Twitter, blocked in the Asian country.
In 2021, former journalist Luo Changping was arrested for “violating the reputation and honor of national martyrs” after his criticism of soldiers who died in a Korean War battle, honored in a film being shown at the time at the chinese cinemas.
China passed a law in 2018 banning defamation of “heroes and martyrs” as well as “distorting or disregarding” their achievements, and last February added the crime of defamation of martyrs to its Penal Code. EFE
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