BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Health is to revise regulations in order to ban smoking in public areas, public transport and indoor work places.

    Ministry spokesman Mao Qun'an said it had started a revision of the regulations on health management in public areas, which would be submitted to the central government for examination and approval.

    "Educational and medical institutions, and places offering services to children will be among the first places with smoking bans," he said.

    The revision is designed to offer policy support in the run-up to a non-smoking Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.

    In August last year, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's legislature, ratified the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, banning tobacco vending machines.

    The treaty also requires a ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship on radio, television, print media and the Internet within five years and prohibits tobacco sponsorship of international events and activities.

    China is obligated to submit to WHO a report on how it honors the treaty in 2008.

    A consulting committee of experts will be set up to offer advice to the government on how to implement the treaty. They will discuss standards and testing methods for habit-breaking products for smokers.

    The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration estimates that China has more than 350 million smokers, about a third of the world's smoking population. Each year, about 700,000 die from smoking-related diseases.