Lawmakers urge tougher anthem law

A National People’s Congress Standing Committee member has called for a ban on placing a hand over the heart when the national anthem is played, as lawmakers deliberated on the draft law on the national anthem on Saturday.

The gesture of putting a hand over the heart during the playing of the national anthem should be prohibited because it originated from a US law in 1942, Chen Guoling, a member of the National People’s Congress ( NPC) Standing Committee, said at the 28th meeting of the 12th NPC Standing Committee, the Beijing News reported.

“Chinese citizens should not adopt the gesture and should respect domestic customs and laws,” said Chen.

Meanwhile, some NPC members called for tougher penalties for those who disrespect the national anthem.

Liang Shengli, another committee member, said that anyone who mars the anthem on purpose should face more severe punishment instead of merely 12 days in detention, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Still another member, Sun Zhijun, recommended that gross violations be investigated for possible criminal liability, as a similar clause is included in the national flag law and national emblem law.

The draft was submitted to the 12th NPC Standing Committee for first reading on Thursday. If passed, those who “mar the anthem’s solemnity” could be detained up to 15 days.

Committee chairman Zhang Dejiang joined the Saturday deliberations, Xinhua reported.