国内英语新闻:Lawmakers mull regulation to protect memorial ceremony for Nanjing Massacre victims

NANJING, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- A draft regulation to protect the national memorial ceremony for Nanjing Massacre victims was submitted for deliberation at a session of the Standing Committee of the Nanjing Municipal People's Congress that opened Tuesday in east China's Jiangsu Province.

According to the draft, speech that distorts or denies the facts of the Nanjing massacre, behavior such as photo-taking or video-shooting dressed in the uniforms of Japanese invaders at memorial sites, and infringements of the right of name and portrait of victims, survivors and martyrs of the Nanjing massacre will all be banned and punished.

It states that vehicles and ships should sound their horns and pedestrians should pause to mourn the deceased in silence for one minute during the ceremony on National Memorial Day. It also suggested compiling textbooks and organizing school activities on the national memorial.

The legislation will protect the national memorial ceremony, and promote patriotism and enhance the cohesion of the Chinese nation, said Long Xiang, head of the Nanjing Municipal People's Congress.

The Nanjing Massacre took place when Japanese troops captured the city on Dec. 13, 1937. Over six weeks, they killed 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers.

In February 2014, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, designated December 13 as the "National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims" to mourn the deceased and expose the war crimes committed by Japanese invaders.