BEIJING -- China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) has released a judicial interpretation of the general provisions of the Civil Code as guidance for people's courts to handle related cases.

The interpretation, consisting of 39 articles in nine sections, will take effect on March 1.

The document clarifies provisions for matters such as justifiable defense and cases involving acts of bravery to protect the civil-law rights of others.

The interpretation lays emphasis on the protection of people's rights, specifying the protection of the rights and interests of minors and fetuses, and regulating the exercise of rights.

The SPC has also published the first 13 typical cases to which the Civil Code was applied to ensure that people's courts correctly implement the law.