Lawmakers look to get more national flags flying

Chinese national flags will be flying in more places around the country, including compounds of Party and State organs, schools and public cultural facilities, according to a draft law amendment.

Lawmakers began deliberating draft amendments to the National Flag Law and the National Emblem Law on Saturday at an ongoing session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee.

The updates, the first in about 10 years, were proposed to foster a social atmosphere of respecting and cherishing the national symbols and to reinforce patriotism, an explanatory document presented to lawmakers said.

According to the draft amendment to the National Flag Law, in addition to governments, legislatures, courts, procuratorates and other organs that were already covered by the law, committees of the Communist Party of China, Party disciplinary organs and supervisory commissions at all levels shall display the national flag daily or on working days.

Non-Communist parties and people's organizations shall display the national flag on working days, the draft said.

The draft encourages public cultural facilities including libraries, museums and art galleries to display the national flag on opening days.

In regulating the use of the national flag, the draft prohibits displaying the national flag upside down or in other ways that diminish its dignity. Discarding the national flag is also banned.

Education on the national flag will be incorporated into the patriotism education of full-time schools.

Xinhua