Statistics show that Chinese children have grown by an extra 2.3 to 3 centimeters every 10 years in the past half-century, according to Li Hui, a senior physician at the Beijing Municipal Children's Studies Institute. "It is quite common to see 1.4-meter-tall children at the age of only seven these days."

    "Improved living standards, good nutrition and sports activities stimulate children's potential for growing," said Li onMonday. "Enhanced prevention and control of diseases also contribute to their rapid growth."

    However, some 360 million children in China are placed in an awkward situation these days, for many of them are being deprived of the right to free school lunches, free entry to places of entertainment and free bus rides as only children 1.1 m tall or under are entitled to those privileges.

    "My son is just five years old, but I am often asked to buy a ticket for him when we take buses, because conductors say he is taller than 1.1 meters, despite his age," said one mother in Beijing.

    Shortly after the founding of new China in 1949, the central government provided free rides on public transport, free entry to places of entertainment and free school lunches to children under seven years old and 1.1 meters tall or under, which was dubbed the"1.1-meter-line."

    A manager at the Beijing Public Transportation Corporation (BPTC) said that if the municipal government decides to raise the 1.1-meter line, the BPTC will surely observe the new regulations.

    However, Fang Tingyu, a medical expert and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top advisory body, said the criterion for setting the line should hinge on children's age instead of height.

    Li Zhongpu, director of the Legal Affairs Office under the Beijing Municipal government, said that it is "appropriate" for the trade association of service industries to set a new standard of free-lunch line, but the municipal government itself can also make such a decision if relevant departments call for revising some old , existing local laws and regulations.

    As a matter of fact, a number of cities, provinces and governmental departments in China have already changed the regulation.

    On Dec. 1, 2003, Zhengzhou, capital city of central Henan province, changed the original height line from 1.1 meters to 1.3 meters. In neighboring Hebei province, since June 2003 children 1.2 meters in height or lower no longer need to buy tickets for cinemas or buses. And as early as in October 2002, northeast China's Liaoning province unified its free-lunch line at 1.3 meters.

    In addition, in December 1997 the Chinese national railway department raised its half-fare discount line from 1.3 meters to 1.4 meters.