BEIJING - In an effort to cut plastic bag usage, China is considering to ban free plastic bags in places such as restaurants and hospitals, an official with the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) has said.

Li Jiajian, official of the MOC's Department of Commercial Service Administration, said the ministry was still doing research on expanding the ban and would seek public feedback at the appropriate time.

Since June 1, 2008, all Chinese retailers, including supermarkets, department stores and groceries, stopped providing free plastic shopping bags.