What's a human life worth?

Judging by differing compensation standards in personal injury cases, the life of an urban Chinese resident is worth far more than that of a rural citizen.

But this urban-rural compensation gap, which reflects the urban-rural wealth gap, is expected to be rectified this year, as the Supreme People's Court has promised to revise relevant legal interpretations, the National People's Congress heard.

"I have received a reply from the Supreme People's Court, saying the issue might be resolved this year," said Zhang Li, an NPC deputy who has been urging the abolition of discriminatory compensation standards.

On December 4, 2003, the Supreme People's Court issued interpretations concerning compensation in personal injury cases.

The interpretations stipulate that death compensation should be 20 times the average annual disposable income of urban residents for the previous year, or 20 times the average annual per capita net income of rural residents in that area.

This is the second year Zhang has raised proposal calling for equal compensation.

"The interpretations violate the principle enshrined in the Constitution that all citizens are equal before the law," said Zhang.

"The difference in compensation denotes discrimination against rural people," he said. "Such interpretations must be amended."

To illustrate his point, Zhang cited a traffic accident on December 15, 2005, in Chongqing Municipality. He Yuan, a 14-year-old girl, and two friends were going to school on a tricycle. A truck hit the tricycle, killing all three.

The parents of He Yuan were angered to learn they would only receive about 50,000 yuan (US$6,250) in compensation, while families of the other two girls each were to receive more than 200,000 yuan.

The difference apparently was based on residence areas of the three girls. Chongqing Municipality includes both urban and rural areas.

Official statistics for 2005 show the per capita disposable income of urban residents was 10,493 yuan, and rural per capita net income was 3,255 yuan.

Zhang submitted a motion to the NPC annual session on revising the interpretations last year, and was told the issue was "under deliberation." He submitted it again this year.

Editor: Wing