Draft legislation under consideration by the ruling Communist Party in Beijing would sanction individuals who fail to sing the country’s national anthem in a sufficiently respectful manner, Sky News is reporting.
“A law is being prepared to set the tempo at which the ballad should be played and sung, with consequences for those who put the anthem in a ’damaging situation,’ ” explains the British cable news outlet Tuesday, citing Beijing’s official state news agency, Xinhua.
“Due to a lack of legal constraints, the national anthem is casually used and sung in an unsolemn manner,” said Xinhua, according to Sky News.
In 2014, Chinese legislators forbade the singing of “March of the Volunteers,” the national anthem of the People’s Republic of China, from being sung at weddings, funerals and venues of “private entertainment” like concerts. Under that law, the song, which calls on Chinese to “with our flesh and blood … build a new Great Wall,” is suitable only for sporting-event ceremonies and diplomatic functions, Sky News said.
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