Central heating should be extended to South China, which has suffered several cold winters recently, Zhang Xiaomei, a National Committee member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said on Monday.

Currently, central heating is limited to areas where the average temperature is 5 degrees Centigrade or below for 90 or more days a year.

Originally, heating was limited to the area North of a line from the Qinling Mountains to the Huaihe River. According to Zhang, this was reasonable considering the overall level of China's economic development in the 1950s.

Now, as people's living standards are rising, it is justified for residents in the south to demand central heating, Zhang said. Heating with space heaters or air conditioners is dangerous and wastes energy, he added.

Zhang proposed that central heating for southern China be included in the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) period. Construction funds should be allocated at both the central and provincial levels, he said.