A Chinese sociologist and political advisor has called for legal permission to carry out experiments on euthanasia, sometimes referred to as 'mercy killing', in certain regions of the country to help 'gain experience' of the subject.

Zhao Gongmin, a member of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), is in Beijing to attend the Fourth Plenary Session of this top advisory body of China.

"Conditions are not right 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 cases," said Zhao, also a research fellow with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"Mercy killing has remained a highly controversial topic in recent years," said Zhao. "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 a cure and they can no longer bear the pain of their 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 at a local level for the purpose of accumulating experience."

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

"Most often such requests come from patients suffering immense pain 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, hospitals always reject such requests, but will sometimes stop ongoing treatment according to the wishes of patients and 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 requested access to mercy killing before he passed away last month at the age of 69.

"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 efforts of the doctors."

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2006)