Jail Time for those that Disrespect the Chinese Anthem

One month ago, Chinese officials in Beijing said that they had passed a law that would sentence people who disrespected the Chinese flag to 15 days in jail. The lawmakers in the nation saw that the two weeks are insufficient for these offenders and they have decided to push the sentence to three years. The National People’ Congress passed the law on Friday after an input by the members of the Communist Party. The Congress announced on Saturday that it had passed the law that would see people who insult the country’s national anthem sentenced to three years in jail. The grave insult can come in many ways. For instance, this could come from the people who distort the lyrics of the national anthem. Another insult can come by singing the anthem in a derogatory fashion. Any other way that could be seen as an insult to the national anthem will also lead to a jail term. This comes after a fierce debate in the United States where National League Football players have knelt as the Star-Spangled Banner is being played. However, these kind of protests are unheard of in China during the national anthem. In China, the national anthem song is referred to as the March of the volunteers.

However, the move by the Chinese lawmakers is seen as an indication of the deepening demand for patriotic devotion in the country. This has further been emphasized by the current president Xi Jinping as he tries to convince the Chinese to embrace the Chinese Dream. Before the amendment was made public, Xinhua news said in an editorial that defending the dignity of the Chinese anthem using the rule of law was step forward in ensuring that social consensus prevails. The current anthem, March of the Volunteers, has been in use since 1949. They anthem has been adopted from the lyrics of a poet known as Tan Han. This is a song celebrating the Chinese soldiers who fought against Japanese forces that had invaded the nation. The opening words of the anthem is a plead to the Chinese people asking them to rise and stop being slaves. The anthem further urges the Chinese people to use their flesh and blood to build a New Great Wall. However, the decision has been met with vigorous protests in Hong Kong. Residents in the Southern City have expressed their dissatisfaction with the huge presence of China economically and socially.