Chinese Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo's health deteriorates

Beijing : Fears about the health of China's cancer-stricken Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo rose on Thursday as the hospital treating him said the liver function of the country's most prominent democracy advocate had deteriorated.

Friends voiced concerns that Liu, 61, is now near death after it emerged last month that he had been transferred from prison to a hospital under medical parole due to terminal liver cancer.

Liu was sentenced to 11 years in prison in December 2009 for "subversion" after calling for democratic reform. He was awarded the Nobel in 2010, with an empty chair representing him at the ceremony in Oslo.

Beijing has come under fire from human rights groups over its treatment of Liu and for waiting until he became so ill to take him out of prison, but authorities insist he has been afforded top medical care from renowned doctors.

China has faced calls to let Liu get treatment abroad, with the US ambassador saying he would like for him to be given that option. The European Parliament called on China on Thursday to free Liu and let him seek treatment "wherever he wishes".

Authorities this week said US and German cancer experts would be invited to come to China to help treat Liu at the family's request.