China Bans Harry Potter Summary:
China Bans Harry Potter
Article: Quote:
The third instalment of Harry's celluloid adventures, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", has been effectively banned for the school holidays on the Chinese mainland after a government decision to delay its release as part of an official crackdown aimed at strengthening morals.
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Exactly how "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" might negatively influence Chinese children has not been explained by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television the government bureau responsible for the ban.*
Also affected by the clampdown are Hollywood Blockbusters "Spider-Man 2" and "Shrek 2", which will have their releases delayed until after the school holidays.
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But Harry Potter's young Chinese fans seem unlikely perpetrators of violent or anti-social acts. On a recent afternoon at the Xinhua Bookstore in downtown Beijing, primary school-aged children flocked around the shelves displaying all five Harry Potter books. A sales assistant attested that the books are top sellers.*
The children all avid readers, and, according to those parents present, good students seemed confused and worried by the suggestion that Harry Potter might be a negative influence on their development.*
Ten-year-old Yang Kun said that the first two movies were "frightening and really good" and rebutted the government's concerns, arguing that "Harry teaches kids to be brave and helps them solve their problems."*
Told that he would not be able to see the new Harry Potter film this summer, 14-year-old Yan Yajun was outraged. "I think that's wrong", he said. "They shouldn't stop kids from watching what they want to watch. Harry doesn't have a bad impact on kids; he teaches us things."
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Here for the whole article at Sky News.