Southern China's Guangdong Province has scheduled a public hearing for legislation on prohibiting the consumption of wild animals on July 8, officials said Monday.
"We will consider public opinion when submitting a draft regulation on public health to the Guangdong provincial People's Congress," said Zhong Qiquan, deputy director of the congress's standing committee.
Residents will be able to register to attend the hearing via telephone, facsimile or the Internet starting from Monday through June 30, Zhong said.
"It is a major step by Guangdong aimed at improving the public health environment and protecting people's health more effectively in the wake of the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)," he said.
The purpose of the draft regulation is to urge Guangdong residents to abandon their consumption of wild animals.
Observers say the new regulation will probably be the focus of the public hearing given that some fear it will severely undermine the wildlife breeding industry in the province.
(Xinhua News Agency June 24, 2003)
