Nation steps up fight to safeguard cultural relics

A guideline was issued on Monday to help strengthen the fight against the theft of cultural relics and help improve the protection of the nation's historic sites.

The guideline, jointly issued by the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security and the National Cultural Heritage Administration, gives a clearer picture on the handling of such cases by interpreting related parts of the Criminal Law.

For example, the guideline specifies that thefts from historic sites on three or more occasions will be regarded as "multiple times", and this could result in a sentence of more than 10 years in prison, life imprisonment or even death penalty.