When comedian Li Haoshi performed at Beijing's Centennial Theatre last Saturday, he also performed the number with the hare and the dogs. It's about two wild dogs that he adopted, even though they don't really need his help, as they're at the top of the food chain anyway. The dogs are chasing a squirrel. Normally, you see dogs and think they're cute, says the comedian, but all that popped into his head were the words: "Have a good work ethic, be ready to fight and win battles."

Jochen Stahnke

Political correspondent for China, Taiwan and North Korea, based in Beijing.

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The problem is that Xi Jinping, head of state and party leader, said these words to the Chinese People's Liberation Army ten years ago. A recording of the performance had been leaked to social media after there had been complaints about the performance. On Wednesday, the comedian's production company was fined two million euros.

All performances cancelled

Li Haoshi, who performs under the stage name "House", immediately apologized: "I used a very inappropriate metaphor in my performance, which caused a bad feeling and a bad association in the audience". He takes responsibility for this, will cancel all further appearances, "think thoroughly and learn anew," said the comedian.

His Shanghai-based production company, which is one of the largest in the country, terminated its cooperation with Li. In a statement, the production company wrote that it had "educated and warned" its entire ensemble. They are aware of their own "responsibility and cultural mission".

The production company "Comedy-Kulturmedien" was founded in Shanghai in 2015 and is considered one of the largest in China. According to reports, stand-up comedy has also become increasingly popular in China in recent years. The company now has hundreds of artists under contract, and just a few weeks ago "Comedy-Kulturmedien" opened a branch in Beijing. But that's over right now.

The capital's cultural authority said the company would no longer be allowed to hold shows in Beijing: "We will never allow any company or person to use the Chinese capital as a stage to wantonly slander the glorious image of the People's Liberation Army."

The state-run Xinhua News Agency eventually reported that "the People's Army protects the country, and everyone must respect it." She then quoted the sentences of Xi Jinping's speech in question. None of these words should be offended, Xinhua said. Under Xi, the army has become untouchable. Since 2021, a law has been in force in China that prohibits slander and insults against military personnel.

The end of Li Haoshi's number went something like this: Full of reverence, he led the two adopted dogs through the streets of Shanghai. The only problem he has with these two dogs is that they are too athletic for his body to keep up with.