BEIJING -- Lawmakers on Tuesday started deliberating a draft revision to the Law on Protection of Cultural Relics.

The draft was submitted to an ongoing session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee for the second reading.

The draft revision stipulates strengthening the protection and management of cultural relics, enhancing the investigation of cultural relics resources, and building a contingent of cultural relics professionals.

It also specifies provisions concerning further exploiting the value of cultural relics for better utilization.

Efforts should be made to further encourage and support public participation in the protection of cultural relics, according to the draft.

The current Law on Protection of Cultural Relics was promulgated in November 1982 and has been amended five times, with a comprehensive revision in 2002.