Chinese sperm bank seeks donor that 'love the socialist motherland and embrace the leadership of the Communist Party'

Men put through a series of tests to determine their suitability

Chiara Giordano
Saturday 14 April 2018 20:55 BST
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People walk past a poster featuring Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing
People walk past a poster featuring Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing

A sperm bank the Chinese capital Beijing has insisted that would-be donors “love the socialist motherland and embrace the leadership of the Communist Party”.

Posting a list of requirements for donors on its social media account the Third Hospital of Peking University said they were also required to be “loyal to the party’s tasks, be decent, law-abiding and be free of any political problems”.

To be successful, they also had to be over 20 years old and show no signs of hair loss, colour blindness or weight problems.

They were put through two rounds of tests – one which checked the quality of their semen and one for general health and fitness.

Those who passed the tests could expect to be paid 200 yuan (£23) immediately and 5,500 yuan (£620) once they successfully donated their semen.

Fertilization of human egg cell by spermatozoan (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

There did not appear to be a test to check donors’ political loyalty.

A doctor on the hospital helpline told the South China Morning Post that no additional tests would be conducted for political requirements as long as donors considered themselves “suitable”.

The demand for donated sperm surged after Beijing relaxed its one-child policy in 2015, allowing two children in most families, according to a report by Beijing Youth Daily from 2016.

China bans the sale of human semen and women looking for fertility treatment must use non-profit sperm banks.

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