WHO director Margaret Chan calls China to strengthen tobacco control

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (C) meets with World Bank President Jim Yong Kim (R) and Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), in Beijing, capital of China, July 8, 2014. [Photo: Xinhua]

The head of the World Health Organization is calling on the Chinese government to strengthen its tobacco control regulations.

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan has made the comments in wrapping up a trip to China this week.

"Oftentimes, tobacco companies and specially the big tobacco (companies), they put a lot of pressure on governments and also to say that any tobacco control measures would affect the country's economy, affect the income of farmers. We would encourage countries to take the most robust action in controlling tobacco."

As the world's largest consumer of cigarettes, China is home to over 300 million smokers.

This accounts for nearly 30 percent of the world's smokers.