NPC deputies attending the annual session of the Ninth National People's Congress in Beijing expressed strong opposition to cloning of humans for reproductive purpose.

Teng Weiping, vice-president of the China Medical University, said he fully supports China's stand expressed at the UN general assembly.

"Cloning of humans for reproductive purposes violates ethics and moral code," he said.

Cloned humans are susceptible to genetic diseases that are likely to pass on from generation to generation, he noted.

But Teng supports cloning of human organs for medical purposes, as it would ease the shortages of organs for transplantation.

Cloned stem cells can be used to treat mental deficiency, senile dementia and restore health of the nervous system, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2002)