Beijing - China is reviewing a draft law
to protect the reputation and honour of "heroes and martyrs" and
punish those who "glorify wars of invasion", state media said on
Wednesday, amid public anger at people dressing up in Japanese
army uniforms.
China unveiled the law to protect heroes and martyrs in
December, and it is likely to be passed by the largely
rubber-stamp parliament.
Xi Jinping has ushered in new legislation aimed at securing
China from threats both within and outside its borders since
taking over as president in 2013, as well as presiding over a
sweeping crackdown on dissent and free speech.
China amended its criminal in November to extend punishments
for publicly desecrating the national flag and emblem to include
disrespecting the national anthem. Punishments include jail
terms of up to three years.
The latest proposed legislation is aimed at protecting the
reputation of martyrs - those who have given their lives for
China or the Communist Party - and who are already publicly
lauded in the country.
The official Xinhua news agency said that the second draft
of the law mandates punishment for "people who profane the deeds
and spirit of the heroes and martyrs and those who glorify wars
or acts of invasion".
It did not say what punishment they might receive.
The news agency said the wording was added following recent
incidents where Chinese people had dressed in Japanese World War
Two army uniforms and spread the pictures online "to glorify the
war of invasion", igniting widespread outrage in China.
"The legislation aims to promote patriotism and socialist
core values," Xinhua said.
Party history is a sensitive subject because so much of the
party's legitimacy rests on its position as claiming great
historical achievements, such as leading China to victory over
Japan during World War Two.
China and Japan have sparred frequently about their painful
history, with Beijing often accusing Tokyo of not properly
atoning for Japan's invasion of China before and during the war.