Chapter VII Commendations and Incentives

Article 57 The state establishes the honorary incentive mechanism to commend and award veterans who have made outstanding contributions to socialist modernization. Veterans who received commendations and awards while on active duty shall enjoy the corresponding treatment in line with applicable regulations of the state after discharge.

Article 58 The people's governments at the places of resettlement, upon the acceptance of veterans, shall hold welcome ceremonies for the veterans. Such ceremonies shall be conducted by the competent departments for the work on veterans of the people's governments at the places of resettlement.

Article 59 The local people's governments shall present honorary plaques to the families of veterans and extend kind solicitude to them in regular visits.

Article 60 When the state, localities, and the military hold major celebrations, veterans shall be invited.

The invited veterans, while attending the celebrations, may dress up in the standard suits at the time of discharge, and wear medals, commemorative badges and other badges awarded while on active duty and after discharge.

Article 61 The state attaches importance to the active role of veterans in patriotic education and national defense education campaigns. Party and government organs, people's organizations, enterprises, public institutions, and social organizations may invite veterans to assist in patriotic and national defense education. The departments of educational administration of the people's governments at or above the county level may invite veterans to participate in national defense education and training in schools, and schools may invite veterans to participate in military training programs for students.

Article 62 The competent departments for the work on veterans of the people's governments at or above the county level shall strengthen the publicity of the meritorious deeds of veterans, and promote the patriotism, revolutionary heroism, and dedication of veterans through public interest advertisements and themed literary and art works.

Article 63 The organizations responsible for compiling local annals of the local people's government at or above the county level shall incorporate into local annals the veterans who meet any one of the following conditions, as well as their deeds.

(1) War veterans;

(2) Veterans who have been awarded second-class merit or above;

(3) Veterans who have been commended at or above the provincial/ministerial level or the theater level;

(4) Other veterans who meet conditions.

Article 64 The state formulates overall plans for the construction of memorial facilities for martyrs, and promotes the spirit of heroes and martyrs by holding, among other activities, commemorative events for heroes and martyrs. The competent departments for the work on veterans are responsible for the maintenance, protection and management of martyrs' memorial facilities.

The state promotes the construction of military cemeteries. Eligible veterans, after death, may be buried in military cemeteries.

Chapter VIII Services and Management

Article 65 The state strengthens the service institutions for veterans and establishes a sound service system for veterans. People's governments at or above the county level establish service centers for veterans, and towns and townships, subdistricts, and rural and urban communities set up service stations for veterans, so as to improve services for veterans.

Article 66 Service agencies for veterans such as service centers and stations for veterans shall strengthen communication with veterans, and render good services to veterans by helping them seek employment and start business, providing them with consolation compensation and preferential treatment, extending solicitude in regular visits, and protecting their rights and interests.

Article 67 The competent departments for the work on veterans of the people's governments at or above the county level shall strengthen the theoretical and political education of veterans, keep abreast of the thoughts, work, and livelihood of veterans, and guide the entities that accept and resettle veterans and other organizations through theoretical and political work, as well as good services for veterans.

The entities in charge of accepting and resettling veterans and other organizations shall fulfill their duties regarding theoretical and political work for veterans and render good services to veterans in light of the work and livelihood of veterans.

Article 68 The competent departments for the work on veterans of the people's governments at or above the county level, the entities in charge of accepting and resettling veterans and other organizations shall enhance the education of confidentiality for veterans as well as veterans management.

Article 69 The competent departments for the work on veterans of the people's governments at or above the county level shall publicize laws, regulations, policies and systems related to veterans through various channels such as radio, television, newspapers, and the internet.

Article 70 The competent departments for the work on veterans of the people's government at or above the county level shall establish sound mechanisms for safeguarding the rights and interests of veterans, unclog channels for expressing their demands, and provide support and assistance for veterans to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests. Infringements on the lawful rights and interests of veterans shall be handled in accordance with the law. Relevant public legal service agencies shall provide legal assistance and other necessary assistance for veterans in accordance with the law.

Article 71 The competent departments for the work on veterans of the people's governments at or above the county level shall, in accordance with the law, guide and urge relevant departments and other organizations in veterans resettlement, education and training, employment and business-starting, consolation and preferential treatment, commendations and incentives, as well as support for the military and preferential treatment for families of servicepersons and martyrs. The foregoing competent departments shall also supervise and inspect the implementation of the laws, regulations, policies and measures concerning the work on veterans, and promote the resolution of problems concerning the work on veterans.

Article 72 The state employs a responsibility system and an assessment system for the work on veterans. The people's governments at or above the county level shall incorporate the completion of the work on veterans into the assessment of relevant departments in charge of the work on veterans, the leaders thereof, the lower-level people's governments and their leaders.

Where regions and entities fail to fully implement policies on the work on veterans and the work is not well proceeded, the competent departments for the work on veterans of the people's governments at or above the provincial level, in conjunction with relevant departments, shall hold regulatory talks with the principal leaders of the governments of those regions or those entities.

Article 73 The competent departments for the work on veterans and their staff shall consciously accept public supervision while performing their duties.

Article 74 Relevant Party and government organs and departments shall, in a timely manner and in accordance with the law, handle reports and complaints about violations of this Law in the work on veterans, and notify the informants and complainers of the results.

Chapter IX Legal Liability

Article 75 Where the acts of the competent departments for the work on veterans and their staff fall under the following malpractices, order of rectification shall be made by the competent departments at the next higher level, and the directly liable persons in charge and other directly liable persons shall be punished in accordance with the law.

(1) Failing to determine the veterans treatment as is stipulated by regulations;

(2) Issuing falsified documents in the course of the resettlement of veterans;

(3) Issuing preferential treatment cards to veterans who are not qualified;

(4) Misappropriating, withholding, or dividing without authorization funds for the work on veterans;

(5) Determining the beneficiaries, standards, and values of consolation compensation and preferential treatment or according relevant treatment to veterans against the regulations;

(6) Taking advantage of their positions in the work on veterans to seek personal gain for themselves or others;

(7) Breaching their duties in the work on veterans; or

(8) Other actions that violate laws and regulations.

Article 76 Where other departments in charge of veterans-related matters and their staff violate this Law, the competent departments at the next higher level thereof shall demand rectifications, and the directly liable persons in charge and other directly liable persons shall be punished in accordance with the law.

Article 77 Where an entity, in violation of this Law, refuses or unreasonably delays veterans resettlement, order of rectification within a prescribed period of time shall be made by the department for the work on veterans of the people's government at the place of resettlement. Where this entity fails to make rectification within the time limit, it shall be sanctioned through circulation of a notice of criticism. The principal leader and direct offenders of this entity shall be punished by relevant departments in accordance with the law.

Article 78 Where veterans fraudulently obtain veterans related treatment, the treatment shall be canceled and the illegal income confiscated by the competent departments for the work on veterans of the local people's governments at or above the county level, and such veterans shall be punished by the entities they belong to or relevant departments in accordance with the law.

Article 79 Where veterans break the law, the competent departments for the work on veterans of the provincial-level people's governments shall suspend, reduce or cancel relevant treatment in accordance with relevant regulations, and report to the competent department for the work on veterans of the State Council for the record.

Veterans who feel aggrieved by the decision of the competent departments for the work on veterans of the provincial-level people's government to suspend, reduce or cancel their treatment may apply for administrative reconsideration or file an administrative lawsuit in accordance with the law.

Article 80 Where a violation of this Law constitutes a violation of public security administration, the violator shall be subject to public security administration penalties in accordance with the law. Where a violation constitutes a crime, the violator shall be held criminally accountable in accordance with the law.

Chapter X Supplementary Provisions

Article 81 This Law shall apply to officers, non-commissioned officers, and conscripts of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force who have been discharged from active duty, unless dishonorably, in accordance with the law.

Article 82 The provisions concerning officers of this Law shall apply to civilian officials.

Relevant provisions of this Law shall apply to trainees at service academies who have been discharged from active duty, unless dishonorably, in accordance with the law.

Article 83 The provisions of this Law concerning war veterans shall apply to nuclear test veterans.

The scope, qualifications and identification procedures for war veterans and nuclear test veterans shall be prescribed by the relevant departments of the Central Military Commission, in conjunction with the competent department for the work on veterans of the State Council and other departments.

Article 84 Former officers of the military who permanently leave the post for rest and the former officers at the level of corps or above shall be resettled as required by the relevant regulations of the State Council and the Central Military Commission.

The treatment of veterans who have chosen to resettle by employment based on individual initiative before this Law goes into force shall be accorded treatment as stipulated by the relevant regulations of the State Council and the Central Military Commission.

Article 85 This Law shall go into force as of January 1, 2021.