Students at a Guiyang primary school in Southwestern China's Guizhou Province sing China's national anthem on the opening day of the school on Monday. Photo: CFP

 
China's national legislature passed the National Anthem Law on Friday, regulating the right circumstances and manner to play and sing the national anthem.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress voted and passed the law, which will take effect from October 1.

The law states that people must stand solemnly and not engage in disrespectful behavior when the national anthem is being played and sung.

The national anthem must not be used for commercial purposes in any form, not played on inappropriate events like funerals, and not played as background music in public.

Primary and middle schools are obliged to teach the anthem to their students and to make them understand the song's spirit and history. The law also says that intentionally distorting the lyrics and melody of the national anthem, or playing the song in a disrespectful manner is punishable by up to 15 days in detention.