Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 28, 1990 TAG: 9006280762
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A/16 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BEIJING LENGTH: Short
The nation's first flag law, adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, also forbids the use of the standard in advertisements or as a trademark, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
Xinhua said willful damage to a flag is punishable by up to three years of imprisonment, detention, surveillance or deprivation of political rights.
Before the law was passed, China often harshly punished those who defaced any of its national symbols. Last year a Chinese court gave a life sentence to a man who during the pro-democracy demonstrations threw paint on the large portrait of Mao hanging from Tiananmen Gate.
In the United States this week, the Congress rejected a proposed amendment to the Constitution permitting the enactment of laws making it illegal to desecrate the flag.
The Chinese law says every citizen and organization must respect and take good care of the national flag, which shows four small and one large yellow star against a red field.
The large star stands for the Communist Party, and the small stars represent various classes in Chinese society. The red color represents the Communist revolution.
The law says China's flag since the Communist takeover in 1949 must be raised every day on Tiananmen Square, at the gate to the Communist headquarters of Zhongnanhai, in front of various government and party offices and at ports, airports and border railway stations.
The law goes into effect on Oct. 1, China's National Day.
by CNB