‘Cheers should have limits’: Chinese province calls foul on fans of Japan World Cup team

In an online post on Friday, “Zhejiang Propaganda”, a social media account affiliated with the Zhejiang provincial publicity department, said that while Chinese fans could appreciate the skills of other teams, their support should have “boundaries”.

“The current controversy shows that many people in China are not intolerant of simply liking other excellent foreign teams, but fans’ cheers should have limits and should not be used as tools to attack national dignity,” the post said.

The post acknowledged that the Japanese football system had advantages worth learning from, but stressed that some comments went beyond mere tactical appreciation.

The comments follow reports that some Chinese fans in Shanghai wore Japanese national team jerseys and cheered for Japan during the World Cup as they gathered at a sports bar to watch Japan’s 4-0 victory over Tunisia on June 21.

The post from the Zhejiang department said the scene sparked widespread controversy in China, with some arguing it was a matter of personal freedom, while many others felt it was a slight on national dignity.

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