As per reports, in view of the Communist Party of China (CPC) military parade on 03 September, several taxi drivers in Beijing informed that their taxi companies issued a “gag order”, strictly prohibiting drivers from talking to passengers about political topics, especially those involving national leaders and the international situation, even praising national leaders is not allowed.

Moreover, taxi drivers in Tianjin and other cities also reported that similar regulations have been implemented. The company explicitly requires drivers to only exchange information related to the trip destination with passengers, including routes, traffic congestion, weather conditions, etc. All other information is prohibited, and suspicious passengers will be reported.