Zhang Feng, director of the provincial commission of population and family planning, said the couple had violated family planning policies, regulations.

"The supporting reproductive technologies should be used to help people who are sterile, but the couple have abused the technologies," Zhang told Nanfang Daily.

The couple should be punished if they are found to have violated the family planning polices and regulations, said Zhang, who is also deputy secretary-general of Guangdong provincial government.

Liu Wenjing, a professor from the Ji'nan University law school, said the couple violated China's family planning policies and regulations.

"But the case indicates that China lacks laws to standardize the use of supporting reproductive technologies and punish surrogate mothers," Liu told Guangzhou Daily.

Dong Yuzheng, a medical ethics expert and secretary-general of the Guangdong provincial commission of population and family planning, said many foreign countries and regions have banned surrogate mothers.

"But many agencies that offer surrogate mothers have been set up in China because of the large profit to be had in recent years," Dong told Guangzhou Daily.

The number of sterile people is increasing annually because of the pollution of the environment, Dong added.