BEIJING - South China's booming province of Guangdong is drafting a law to ban the resurgent trend of keeping of mistresses, in a bid to preserve social harmony, local media reported on Wednesday.

The law, attached to legislation guaranteeing women's rights, would ban married people from setting up "love nests" to engage in extra-marital affairs, the Beijing News said.

"Adding this provision is aimed at preserving and enhancing marital stability," the paper quoted a Guangdong lawmaker, Cheng Jingchu, as saying.

China has repeatedly urged its officials to honour the sanctity of marriage after a string of high-profile corruption cases involving mistresses led to the sacking and punishment of senior cadres.

Last year prosecutors launched criminal proceedings against Beijing vice-mayor Liu Zhihua, who was denounced for taking millions of yuan in bribes and helping his mistress "seek profit" while he was in charge of Olympic venue construction.

China also sacked top naval officer Wang Shouye for graft last July after one of his mistresses blew the whistle on him for taking millions in bribes from military contractors.