The ruling Communist Party is urging the public to support its vision of a more powerful and wholesome nation by promoting celebrity culture and online games that are hugely popular in China.
The message is: The message? Play less, learn more, and work harder.
The Wednesday rules will reduce the amount of time children can play by no more than two-thirds or three hours per week. This coincides with a campaign to reduce what the party considers unhealthy attention to celebrities online.
In a Monday statement, the Press and Publications Administration stated that adolescents are the future of the country.
These measures are part of a series of initiatives President Xi Jinping has initiated over the past two decades that are aimed to encourage the public and companies alike to support the party’s economic and political goals.
Paul Haswell, the head of Pinsent Masons’ Asia-Pacific technology, media, and communications practice, said that this appears to be China’s effort to make sure the government is at the center of all aspects of citizens’ lives.
Xi has called for a ” national rejuvenation ” to restore China to its rightful place as a global leader with the ruling party directing areas from economics and technology to culture, education, religion and society.
A document titled “Xi Jinping Theory In The New Era of Chinese Socialism” states that “The party is leader of everything.” It was published in 2018.
China’s remaining dissidents were either jailed or intimidated into silence.
Social Credit is a system that tracks every person and company in China. It can be used to punish any missteps, from dealing with business partners who break environmental rules to littering.
Beijing launched a barrage of anti-monopoly, data security and other enforcements beginning in late 2020. It will tighten control on internet giants such as games, social media service Tencent Holding Ltd. and e-commerce service Alibaba Group.
Regulators view online gaming as a political risk because it allows users to socialize while playing and is more difficult than other activities to control or monitor. This increases the possibility that users could organize and voice dissent.
In 2018, an official panel was established to examine “ethical questions” and ensure that games are in line with party positions on foreign relations, human rights, and other issues.
Beijing expressed concern Monday about the economic potential of young Chinese.