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Sensitive Topics Catalog

When filtering your Developer-Generated Content (DGC) for submission, or when reviewing flagged User-Generated Content (UGC), pay special attention to the following high-risk categories.

The Chinese internet is heavily regulated, and content involving any of the topics below must be submitted to AppInChina for review. Failure to properly moderate these topics can result in immediate app suspension or removal from Chinese app stores.

Sovereignty and Territory​

This is one of the most strictly enforced areas of content regulation in China.

  • Maps of China: Any map displaying China must be officially approved and correctly show all territorial claims, including the nine-dash line in the South China Sea, Taiwan, and the Aksai Chin region.
  • Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau: These must always be represented as regions or special administrative regions of China, never as independent countries. Dropdown menus for "Country" should be changed to "Country/Region" if these are included.
  • Tibet and Xinjiang: Content must not support separatism or independence movements in these regions.

Politics and Government​

  • National Leaders: Mentions, images, or caricatures of current or former Chinese political figures and national leaders.
  • Government Policies: Criticism or unauthorized interpretation of national policies, laws, or the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
  • National Institutions: Unauthorized use of the national flag, national emblem, national anthem, or military insignia.

Historical Events​

  • Sensitive History: References to sensitive Chinese historical events, political movements, or protests (e.g., the Cultural Revolution, the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests).
  • Historical Figures: Defamation or mockery of recognized national heroes or martyrs.

Regulated Industries & Activities​

Content promoting or facilitating illegal or heavily restricted activities in China:

  • Gambling: Online casinos, sports betting, lotteries, or games of chance involving real money.
  • Cryptocurrency: Trading, mining, or promoting Bitcoin and other decentralized cryptocurrencies (which are banned in China).
  • Circumvention Tools: VPNs, proxies, or software designed to bypass the Great Firewall.
  • Financial Services: Unauthorized lending, peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platforms, or pyramid schemes.

Cultural and Social Sensitivities​

  • Pornography and Obscenity: Explicit sexual content, nudity, or sexually suggestive material.
  • Violence and Terror: Content depicting extreme violence, gore, self-harm, or promoting terrorism and religious extremism.
  • Illicit Drugs: Promotion, sale, or glorification of illegal drugs and narcotics.
  • Superstition and Cults: Promotion of feudal superstitions, fortune-telling, or banned religious cults (e.g., Falun Gong).
  • Social Disruption: Content that incites ethnic hatred, discrimination, or disrupts social order and stability.