Comedy troupe hit with £1.7 million fine by Chinese authorities after military gag

Li Haoshi made the joke at a stand-up comedy night in Beijing

Soldiers of People's Liberation Army (PLA) are seen before a giant screen as Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks at the military parade marking the 70th founding anniversary of People's Republic of China, on its National Day in Beijing, China October 1, 2019 (REUTERS)

A Chinese comedy troupe has been hit with a £1.7million ($2.13 million) fine by authorities after one of its entertainers made a joke about the military.

Li Haoshi, who performs under the name House, went viral on the country’s social media after an audience member posted a description of the joke after a stand-up set in Beijing on May 13.

In the joke, Li recounted seeing two stray dogs he had adopted chase a squirrel and said it had reminded him of the phrase “have a good work style, be able to fight and win battles”.