College students' blood donation statistics will be linked to their academic performance and assessment at college, according to Beijing Municipal Health Bureau (BMHB) Monday.

Ma Yanming, deputy director of publicity at the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, told the Global Times that mobile blood donation vehicles have previously been sent to universities, but from now on they would like to collect blood at universities on a regular basis.

Blood donation facts will be listed as an indicator that affects the evaluation results and academic performance of college students and the assessment of teachers. Meanwhile, universities have been asked to create two volunteering teams to promote blood donation, according to the BMHB.

"College students are always the main source of blood donations as they are young,  more willing to join the cause, and also more easily recover, while donating helps them learn to care for others," Ma said.

The detailed plan including the frequency of blood collections and when the policy will be implemented has yet to be decided upon, Ma said.

"Mobile blood donation vehicles are also expected to regularly collect blood in villages, residential communities and government agencies in the near future," Ma said.

Beijing has suffered from a blood shortage since last winter, and the blood bank storage Monday showed that they are in urgent need of all four major blood types, according to the municipal blood donation service website.

College students have differing opinions on the new policy.

Zhao Chen, who donated blood three times when he was at university, told the Global Times that he believes the new policy will work, as students need incentives to encourage them to be "good Samaritans."

Liu Xi'na, a college student at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times however, that she believes the policy is improper and unfair to students and teachers with poor health.

"Does this mean I am a good student only after donating my blood?" Liu's health condition does not allow her to donate blood, but as she put it, "This does not mean I do not want to donate or am a bad student."

Cui Tianhong contributed to this story