Can’t Say That In China

According to the regulation, which was passed last month, anyone who posts a message deemed “libelous” and forwarded more than 500 times or viewed more than 5,000 times is subject to prosecution and a possible five-year jail sentence.

Chou’s management, JVR Music, says it will use the law to “stamp out” any unsubstantiated information about its superstar client.

“Since 2006 there have been a number of boring, unfounded and absurd rumors about Chou,” a representative of JVR told SCMP by phone, “including stories told to the Japanese media that he has Japanese ancestors, or that he is not a charitable person.”

At first, Chou ignored these rumors, but then they turned malicious.

Juicy Music, which represents Chou on the mainland, said it would also pursue the matter in Chou’s interests.