Huang Jiefu, director of the China Organ Donation Committee and the former vice-minister of health, said the registry and other measures help better inform the public of their rights to donate organs after death, as well as ensure a more ethical, healthy and sustainable organ transplant system in the long run.

"It's my Chinese dream to see a more sustainable system for organ transplants," he said.

After the system run jointly by the National Health and Family Planning Commission and the Red Cross Society of China was introduced, officials said the number of donations from the public has increased significantly.

The system so far covers 19 provinces and municipalities and has handled almost 800 donations, involving more than 2,100 organs such as livers and kidneys, said Gao at the National Organ Donation Management Center.

Data from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University tell a similar story. The facility has carried out 1,295 liver transplants since 1993, with 72 organs from deceased donors, all coming after 2010 when the hospital joined a program to promote volunteer donations.

Of the 148 liver transplants the hospital did last year, 40 organs came from deceased donors, up from just two in 2010.

The proportion of livers from deceased and living donors also increased to 29.7 percent last year, up from 11.8 percent in 2010.

Jose R. Nunez, a transplant specialist with the World Health Organization, said China has begun a new era in organ donation and transplants based on transparency, public confidence and support.

Transplants rely on technical expertise, but they also require willing donors, he said, adding that to respect and encourage the public, "transparency, fairness and traceability have to be ensured".

Francis Delmonico, president of the Transplantation Society, agreed and said: "A volunteer registry would definitely help promote the concept of organ donation and raise public awareness."

Wang Qingyun contributed to this story.