A new provision has been added to China's draft general provisions of the civil law to hold people accountable for damaging the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs, according to the presidium for the ongoing annual parliamentary session.

People who harm the name, portrait, reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs, thus hurting the public interest, shall bear civil liability, said the provision, which was added upon suggestions by lawmakers at the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC).

According to some NPC deputies, certain people have maliciously defamed and insulted heroes and martyrs through twisting the truth and slander, harming the public interest and causing adverse social impact.

According to the presidium, the NPC Law Committee has made a total of 126 revisions to the draft general provisions based on suggestions by NPC deputies and national political advisors gathered at the ongoing annual legislative and political consultative sessions.

In addition, the statutory age limit for minors with limited capacity for civil conduct has been lowered from 10 to eight years, according to the revisions. The previous draft lowered the age limit to six years.

NPC deputies will continue to deliberate the revised draft of the general provisions.