BEIJING (Reuters) - 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 andtook part in the disaster relief work, breastfeeding ninebabies, earning her the nickname of "the police mum" in thepress.
She has since been awarded titles of "hero and model policeofficer" and "excellent member of the Communist Party", wasappointed to the Communist Party of China Committee of theJiangyou Public Security Bureau and became the bureau's vicecommissar, Xinhua news agency said on Saturday.
Jiangyou, population 850,000, is a city near the epicentreof the May 12 Sichuan quake which killed more than 69,000people with thousands still missing.
"Many people voiced objections when the Jiangyou governmentsought public opinion after making the promotion," Xinhua said."They said an official position should not be used to promote amoral model."
There were also supporters of Jiang's promotion, sayingthat what she did showed she was a good public servant.
(Reporting by Nick Macfie; Editing by Valerie Lee)