The Chinese government is considering a law that would impose fines, and possibly jail time, on people whose clothing “hurts the feelings” of others.
The proposed law, first reported by Bloomberg, was first released in a draft of revisions from the Standing Committee of China’s legislature.
People cross a street in the central business district (CBD) in Beijing. (WANG ZHAO/AFP via Getty Images/File)
The law would ban a range of behavior, including dress or speech deemed to be “detrimental to the spirit of the Chinese people and hurts the feelings of the Chinese people.”
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It remains unclear what specific times of images or speech would be considered offensive. But punishment could range from a fine, equivalent to around $950, or being sent to a detention center for 15 days.
The proposed law has provoked mixed reactions. One lawyer, cited in the report, argued on Weibo, that the law would “definitely bring huge uncertainty and open wide the door of convenience to arbitrary and unauthorized punishment.”
The law underscores Chinese President Xi Jinping’s tight grip on the country after more than a decade in power.
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Earlier this year, China expanded its legal framework to target those expected to or affiliated with threatening national security, putting pressure on the relationship between foreigners in China and Chinese working with foreign entities across all fields.
