BEIJING, October 28 (RIA Novosti) - Chinese diplomats married to foreigners may be banned from working in the country's embassies abroad, the China Daily newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The new restriction proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, would prohibit Chinese diplomats whose spouses are foreigners or hold long-term or permanent residency in other countries to serve in embassies.

An official working in the country's Department of Personnel under the Foreign Ministry said marriage restrictions were not written into the law previously, however such limitations have actually been in place informally for years.

"For most of our diplomats, the restrictions are not a problem. I have only heard of one case in my years in the ministry of someone working in an embassy quitting the job for love," the newspaper quoted the official as saying. "When we chose the job, we knew what it meant. We have to take the interest of our country as the top priority."

The draft of the bill requires diplomats abroad to report information about their prospective marriages, although they would not need to seek permission. Divorces must also be reported.

Marriage restrictions are imposed on other foreign diplomats as well.

"Recently an engineer of the U.S. Embassy in China, who holds a diplomatic passport, was sentenced to half a year in prison in his country for keeping close relations with a Chinese woman without reporting it," the Foreign Ministry official was quoted as saying by the paper.

The same draft also provides diplomats with life accident insurance and medical care and safety and increases the minimum age for a diplomat from 18 to 23.

There are nearly 5,000 Chinese diplomats who serve in diplomatic agencies in 171 countries.