In China knives are considered deadly weapons if carried/brandished in public. Same in Japan and probably Korea.

I once took a kitchen knife to get sharpened in Japan and the shop told me that it was extremely important for me to wrap the knife up in a towel and then tie string around the whole thing tightly so that it can't come loose. If the cops found me carrying an improperly secured knife, the could charge me with carrying a weapon in public.

But of course, China is uniquely dystopian, Cee Cee Pee oppression, etc etc.