Drunk drivers in China could face harsher punishments in the future, including the revocation of their driver's licenses, according to a draft amendment to the Road Traffic Safety Law being discussed by the national legislature on Wednesday.

Drunk drivers would have to wait five years after the revocation before recovering their licenses, according to the draft amendment.

The draft amendment also permanently revokes the driver's license of anyone whose drunk driving causes an accident serious enough to constitute a crime.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress opened its bimonthly session in Beijing on Wednesday, where it will be reviewing a series of drafts, law amendments and reports.

According to China's current standard, drunk drivers refer to those having 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood.

Current law stipulates a license suspension of three to six months for drunk drivers.

In recent years, fatal car accidents in big cities such as Chengdu, Nanjing and Hangzhou have triggered heated public complaint and calls for stricter penalties for drunk driving.