On Monday, the national family planning agency said an investigation has found that reports of abuses by family planning officials in Linyi City in the eastern province of Shandong are factual.

"Initial investigation indicates illegal family planning practices violating people's legal rights and interests were used," said Yu Xuejun, National Population and Family Planning Commission (NPFPC) spokesperson.

He said the NPFPC and Shandong family planning agency had sent two joint teams to investigate local family planning officials since early this year, but did not say exactly when.

The probe was launched in response to reported population-control abuses in Linyi such as enforced abortions and sterilizations, and the detention of relatives of those who refused to be sterilized.

"Those who were responsible have been dismissed from duty. Some are under investigation, some in detention. Further measures will be taken by government departments concerned according to legal competence and procedure," said Yu, without specifying who or how high-ranking they were.

He said the NPFPC has required staff members to learn from the case and "correct any infringements on citizens' rights." There were no reports on the welfare of the victims of the abuses, or whether they would be compensated in any way.

The commission said it would organize training programs on the rule of law and quality of care in reproductive health and family planning.

Yu told Xinhua earlier this month that the country has worked hard to implement a human-centered principle in this area since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo.

(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2005)