The proposed law, which follows the success in the fight against SARS, comes amid a national soul-searching over the treatment of animals and attitudes to the natural environment.

During a three-hour public hearing on Tuesday of the draft regulation on improving public health, the clause on "prohibition of the consumption of wild animals" caused heated debate.

All those who attended agreed with the intention of the legislation to "cut the channel of transmission of epidemic diseases through wild animals," but most said the clause was unclear, not feasible and might undermine the animal breeding industry.

In Guangdong, one of the most economically advanced provinces in China, the trade in more than 100 varieties of wild animals at the country's largest wild animal market is worth 1.9 million yuan (US$230,000) every day.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) crisis in the first half of the year seriously affected Guangdong.

Many provinces have since banned wild animal markets, although there is still no direct evidence linking wild animals to the cause of the disease.

The China Wildlife Conservation Association has written a public letter, appealing for an end to the eating of wild animals. South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region banned circuses from using animals in shows. East China's Anhui Province banned wildlife dishes in restaurants.

But legislating against the consumption of wild animals is no easy task. In Guangdong, the original version of the draft law had no clause on eating wild animals. By the end of May, the standing committee of the provincial People's Congress added clauses on the prohibition of the consumption of wild animals and stricter management of pets.

In the amended draft, the clause banned the eating of wild animals, but prescribed no penalties for violating the law.

Huang Qingdao, commissary of the Guangdong provincial People's Congress standing committee, said they had merely proposed the concept of respect for wild animals in the legislation.

The hearing attracted more than 1,000 applicants. Finally 22 people including experts, lawyers, officials, farmers, and conservationists attended, with more than 200 people observing. Local television stations and websites broadcast the hearing live.

Proponents of the legislation argued that ending the practice of eating wild animals would help prevent the transmission of viruses and protect the environment.

"We have just bid farewell to SARS. We are now facing warnings not only from the province, or from the state. I think the whole world is watching us. It's the demand of our environment and the world," said Hong Xia, member from the Guangdong branch of Friends of Nature, an environmental protection organization.

Opponents expressed their fears that the animal breeding industry would be undermined, and argued that the law would be impossible to enforce.

Gao Hong, an official from the Guangdong Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said "wild animal" was a dynamic concept as different areas adopted different views on wild animals at different times. Today's animals living in wild might one day become domesticated. He suggested changing the clause to "the prohibition of hunting and eating wild animals under state protection and those which pose health risks".

Many exotic animal breeders, who number more than 10,000 in the province, also strongly opposed the legislation.

Liu Yongming, who has been breeding American partridges for 19 years, said, "There has been no epidemic disease found in our village. My family has remained healthy. If the regulation is passed, my life will be ruined."

Pubic submissions would be considered when the draft was presented to the provincial People's Congress, said Zhong Qiquan, vice-chairman of the congress's standing committee and the sponsor of the hearing.

"We will adopt those opinions in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations, and Guangdong's special situation," said Zhong.

(Xinhua News Agency July 9, 2003)