A Chinese sociologist and political advisor has called for legal permission for experiments on euthanasia, or mercy killing, in certain regions of the country, to help "accumulate experience" in this regard.

"Conditions are not ripe yet for the nation-level legislation on euthanasia, but I suggest the state allow certain regions, cities or provinces to formulate relevant local regulations or stipulations to legalize certain individual cases," said Zhao Gongmin, a research fellow with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Zhao, also a member of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), is attending in Beijing the annual full session of this top advisory body of China.

"Mercy killing has remained a highly controversial topic in recent years. But according to my study, a large number of people agree that patients should be allowed to seek a peaceful death when there is no hope of cure and they can no longer bear the pains from the illness," said Zhao.

"I think it is only a matter of time for euthanasia to become legal," he added. "Therefore, we should first allow some experiments on the local level for the purpose of accumulating experience."

A province-level hospital in north China's Hebei Province each year encounters one or two cases in which the patient with a fatal disease asks for mercy killing, reported Yanzhao City News, a leading newspaper based in the provincial capital Shijiazhuang, on Monday.

"Most often such requests come from patients suffering immense pains from incurable diseases or being unable to afford high medical expenses," a doctor with the hospital was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Since euthanasia is not allowed by Chinese law, the hospital always rejects such requests, but sometimes will cease treatment according to the demand of patients or their families, said the doctor.

Media reports said that China's leading IT expert Wang Xuan, who invented a computerized laser photocomposition system for Chinese character typesetting reputed as "a new revolution of the Chinese printing sector," also demanded the application of mercy killing before he passed away last month at the age of 70.

"I firmly demand the application of euthanasia when my illness proves incurable," Wang, also a vice chairman of the 10th CPPCC National Committee, reportedly wrote in his will. "I don't want to waste any money of the state or energy of the doctors."

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2006)