NANJING, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- To protect and support the memorial ceremony for Nanjing Massacre victims on China's national memorial day, Nanjing, capital city of east China's Jiangsu Province, has rolled out a regulation.
The regulation, approved during a session of the Standing Committee of the Nanjing Municipal People's Congress on Oct. 31, took effect on Thursday when people across China observed the fifth national memorial day.
The regulation states that vehicles and ships should sound their horns and pedestrians should pause to mourn the deceased for one minute of silence during the memorial ceremony on the national memorial day, except for those in special circumstances involving emergencies.
According to the regulation, the ceremony will not only be held in the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre but will also be held across the whole city.
It stipulates that public entertainment around memorial venues and facilities should be halted during the ceremony.
The regulation also notes that those engaging in speeches that distort or deny the facts of the Nanjing Massacre, behaviors such as photo-taking or video-shooting dressed in the uniforms that symbolize Japanese militarism at memorial sites, and infringements of the names and portraits of victims, survivors and martyrs will be held accountable.
Meanwhile, the regulation stipulates that relevant information for textbooks should be compiled and school activities organized during the national memorial ceremony.
Yao Zhenglu, an official with the legislative affairs commission under the Nanjing Municipal People's Congress, said the Nanjing Massacre is an unforgettable and painful event in history, and therefore, the public should adopt a respectful attitude toward the national memorial ceremony and participate in appropriate ways.
The regulation will play a positive role in social value orientation, according to Yao.
The Nanjing Massacre took place when Japanese troops captured the city on Dec. 13, 1937. Over six weeks, they killed 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers.
In February 2014, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, designated December 13 as the "National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims" to mourn the deceased and expose the war crimes committed by Japanese invaders.
