BEIJING -- The Chinese government is considering requiring Internet users to provide their real name and identification card number before they can open a blog or post online comments.

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A board director of the Internet Society of China (ISC) confirmed the government was considering the move to regulate online activities.

"China is studying and trying out a limited real name online system so as to balance the protection to personal privacy and public and national interests," Hu Qiheng was quoted as saying by China News Service.

Under the proposed system, Internet users would have to provide their personal information to website operators when opening a blog or registering on a bulletin board, but they will still be free to write under pseudonyms.

Their real identities would remain confidential and protected if they did "nothing illegal or harmful to the public". If their activities broke the law, their identities would be exposed, Hu was quoted as saying at the conference of Info China 2006.

The debate over a real name online system has been simmering for weeks since the ISC suggested in a report to the Ministry of Information Industry that a real name system be implemented.

Advocates of the system argue that anonymity has encouraged widespread online libel and slander. Opponents say blogging is a modern grass-roots phenomenon that is flourishing for the very reason that people are free to express themselves.

Hu said the protection to personal privacy should not be extreme. "A balance point should be reached between personal privacy and public and national interests."

The ISC, affiliated to the Ministry of Information Industry, has played a leading role in campaigns against online junk mail, malicious software and piracy. It has also been trying to play a neutral role between the information industry and the government.

With nearly 120 million Internet users, China is the world's second largest Internet market after the United States.