The former wife of a translator says she cannot cremate her late husband because a Beijing hospital is refusing to give her a death certificate.

The ex-wife called local media for help, the Beijing Times reported today.

The wife, who called herself Liu Haiying, said Shijingshan Hospital has refused to give her a death certificate for her ex-husband Li Fuxiang because Li had failed to pay medical fees of 6,627 yuan as well. There was also a 50-yuan-fee for storing the body at the hospital.

She has refused to pay the fees because she had divorced Li and had no legal relationship with him, she told the newspaper.

Li lived alone and died on January 21.

The hospital said it could not issue the death certificate to Liu not just because of the unpaid fees but also because Liu had to prove she had a legal relationship with Li.

(Shanghai Daily March 20, 2009)