The bizarre requirement was part of a sperm donation drive launched Wednesday by Peking University Third Hospital ?- a public hospital affiliated to an elite university considered to be China's Harvard.

As well as being free of genetic or infectious diseases, potential donors must have "sound ideological qualities", according to a notice posted on the hospital's official account on popular messaging app WeChat.

Men between the ages of 20 to 45 who wish to donate semen must "love the socialist motherland, support the leadership of the Communist Party, be loyal to the party's cause and be decent, law-abiding citizens, free of political problems", it said.

Those who successfully donate after undergoing two rounds of medical checks -- to assess the quality of their semen and general fitness -- will be paid 5,500 yuan ($900), the statement said.

There were no details on how the hospital would verify whether donors satisfied the political requirements.