As many as 1,968 officials in central China's Hunan Province have been found breaching the nation's one-child policy between 2000 and 2005, the provincial family planning commission said Friday.

Also exposed by the commission are 21 national and local lawmakers, 24 political advisors, 112 entrepreneurs and six senior intellectuals.

A national lawmaker identified by his surname as Li, were keeping four mistresses, with whom he had four children, a spokesman of the commission said

Some officials who have had more than one child but had gone their way unnoticed during their tenure of leadership were exposed when they were investigated for corruption.

"Three officials -- vice head of Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Xiangxi with the surname as Peng, vice mayor of Loudi City surnamed as Zhao, and vice mayor of Chenzhou City with the surname of Lei, who were all found to have kept extramarital mistresses, -- were all convicted for charges such as embezzlement and taking bribes, but they were not punished for having more than children," said the spokesman.

China, the world's most populous nation with more than 1.3 billion people, has been enforcing a strict family planning policy since late 1970s. Under the policy, most urban couples, particularly civil servants are strictly forbidden to have more than one child.

It is estimated that the policy has prevented the birth of millions of people over the years, avoiding an explosive growth of China's population.

However, there have been increasing reports of officials, tycoons and entertainment stars having more than one child, causing grave public concern.

"The fact that some localities which dare not give penalties in case of violating one-child policy or choose to deal with such cases leniently should be one of the main reasons for the trend," the spokesman said.

(Xinhua News Agency July 8, 2007)