China planning national Martyrs' Day  

中国拟将9月30日设为烈士纪念日 国家举行纪念活动

草案称，1949年9月30日是人民英雄纪念碑的奠基日，在国庆节的前一天开展烈士纪念活动，既能充分体现“国庆勿忘祭先烈”的情怀、突出国家褒扬烈士的主题，又能与党和国家领导人10月1日上午向人民英雄纪念碑敬献花篮等烈士纪念活动相衔接，因此草案将9月30日确定为烈士纪念日。[查看全文]

China is planning to set September 30 as Martyrs' Day to commemorate those who lost their lives fighting for national independence and prosperity.

National commemoration activities will be held on the date, according to a draft bill submitted for discussion at the ongoing bimonthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, to be held from Monday to Sunday.

The public have increasingly called for such a date to be set, said Li Liguo, minister of civil affairs, at the session.

The top legislature's setting the date will be significant to fostering patriotism and bolstering "core socialist values" among the public, he said.

The date is one day before China's National Day, when Chinese leaders lay flowers at the Monument to the People's Heroes in Tiananmen Square, downtown Beijing.