Legislators review draft law on protecting the country's heroes and martyrs

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The Standing Committee of National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, has convened its bi-monthly session on Wednesday.

During the three-day session, legislators will review a series of draft laws and bills including the draft law on the protection of heroes and martyrs. A new clause was added during the second review of the draft law on protecting the reputation of heroes and martyrs. It says that people who glorify wars such as posing in imperial Japanese military uniforms will be punished in accordance with the law.

Suggested by the committee members and the public, the change was made to deal with the incidents where some people have taken pictures in imperial Japanese military uniforms and posted them online to glorify the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945) in recent years, Hu Keming, deputy director of NPC's Constitution and Law Committee, said on Wednesday.

Such behaviors have damaged the dignity of the state, hurt people's feelings and created a negative effect on society. As a result, their legal consequences need to be further clarified and the penalties will be increased, Hu added.

The draft law also prohibits people from insulting heroes and stipulates that network operators should respond quickly if they find messages harmful to heroes.

During the session, legislators will also deliberate bills to set up a financial court in Shanghai, and adjust administrative duties prescribed by law that have been affected by reform of State Council institutions.

They will consider reports on environmental protection, and protection of rights and interests of overseas Chinese, among others.