BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- China will continue to crack down on the practice of surrogacy, banning medical institutions and professionals from performing surrogate techniques of any kind, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said Wednesday.

Many older Chinese couples want to have a second child after the family planning policy was loosed.

At a press conference held Wednesday, Mao Qunan, commission spokesperson, said China wants to ensure it offers safe, regulated and effective assisted reproductive services.

He said surrogacy, which raises various legal, ethical and social issues, is prohibited in many other countries.

A document on assisted reproductive technology issued by the health authority in 2001 bans surrogate techniques.