China to ban public smoking in 2011

New Delhi, May 11 (ANI): China will ban smoking in indoor public spaces including working place, public transportation vehicles and some other special outdoor working spaces from January 2011.

Yang Qing, director of the department of women and children's healthcare and community hygiene under the Ministry of Health (MOH), said the ban is in accordance with the requirement by the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Chinanews.com.cn quoted Yang as saying that a non-smoking campaign has been launched in the MOH, with Health Minister Chen Zhu being the leader, to ban smoking in the MOH building.

China began participating in the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2006, promising full implementation by 2011.

Half of China's public health institutions will be non-smoking spaces in 2010. (ANI)