A Chinese policewoman who breastfed babies orphaned during last month's earthquake has been given a better job, prompting online protests that promotions should be awarded on merit, not merely for good deeds.
Jiang Xiaojuan, 30, left her own baby with her parents and took part in the disaster relief work, breastfeeding nine babies, earning her the nickname of "the police mum".
She has since been awarded titles of "hero and model police officer" and "excellent member of the Communist Party". She was appointed to the Communist Party of China Committee of the Jiangyou Public Security Bureau and became the bureau's vice commissar, Xinhua news agency said yesterday.
Jiangyou, population 850,000, is a city near the epicentre of the May 12 Sichuan quake which killed more than 69,000 people with thousands still missing.
"Many people voiced objections when the Jiangyou government sought public opinion after making the promotion," Xinhua said.
They said an official position should not be used to promote a moral model."
There were also supporters of Jiang's promotion, saying what she did showed she was a good public servant.