A new law aims to stop the booing of China’s national anthem

“ARISE! ARISE! ARISE! Millions of hearts with one mind,” go the lyrics of China’s national anthem, “The March of the Volunteers”. Yet many people in Hong Kong are not of one mind with China’s government. The territory has been a part of China since Britain handed over the former colony in 1997. But its football fans routinely boo and turn their backs when the Chinese anthem is played. At pro-democracy protests, a few people sometimes even wave the British colonial flag. Some youngsters are also beginning to demand greater independence from China. In 2016 such “localists” gained one-fifth of the popular vote in elections to Hong Kong’s legislature, known as Legco.The Communist Party in Beijing has responded as it always does when confronted: by flexing its muscles. It engineered the expulsion of six localists from Legco. It cheered the local government’s decision last year to ban a pro-independence group and expel a British journalist who had had the temerity to invite the group’s leader to speak at an event. Now, at the party’s behest, Hong Kong is preparing to introduce a law that would punish those who deliberately insult the national anthem with up to three years in jail and a stiff fine (see ). Schools will be required to teach pupils how to sing the tune with proper decorum. And students had better pay attention: the age of criminal responsibility in Hong Kong is ten, as it is in England (in mainland China it is 14). By the party’s design, Legco is dominated by Hong Kongers who are the Communists’ cheerleaders. It is certain to pass this draconian bill.