An appeal by a convicted serial killer against his death sentence, including a "confession" to another murder over which a man was executed, was rejected by a court on Friday.

The Hebei High People's Court turned down the appeal by Wang Shujin, a death row prisoner convicted of raping and killing at least four women, and endorsed the original death sentence handed down by Handan Intermediate People's Court at the first trial in 2007.

Wang, 46, appealed for clemency, arguing that his testimony of raping and murdering the woman identified as Kang may clear the name of another man who was executed for the crime almost 20 years ago.