All TV shows must reflect president’s China Dream ideology, says directive

China’s propaganda ministry has issued a directive saying all television shows must reflect Chinese president Xi Jinping’s “China Dream”, focusing on patriotic stories and anti-fascist themes.

The ruling is aimed at all TV shows screening ahead of the 18th session of the fourth plenum in October, a major date in the Communist Party calendar.

Any shows broadcasting before the plenum must reflect the “China Dream”, an ideology of realising a dream of national rejuvenation.

It was unclear whether the ruling would affect overseas TV shows, which are usually screened online.

“Anti-fascist” relates to Japan’s behaviour during the second World War, as China believes Japan has not done enough to atone for atrocities during the conflict. Relations between China and Japan are at a low ebb, with the two Asian powerhouses disputing a chain of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea.