It is estimated about 3.5 million Chinese will die from tobacco-related illness every year by 2030, according to a report issued here Thursday.

This number is higher than the previous estimate of 3 million death toll by 2050, showing smoking epidemic is worsening in China, said Sarah England, an official of the China office of the World Health Organization, in an interview with Xinhua.

The report was issued to review China's tobacco control situation in the past five years.

(Xinhua News Agency January 6, 2011)