A North China county has decided that officials who didn't show due respect to their parents should not be promoted, in a renewed effort to enforce its governing by filial piety, after the idea was first brought up in 2008, xinhuanet.com reported Tuesday.

Officials in Weixian county of North China's Hebei province will have to prove through their parents, in-laws and spouses that they have filial piety before they can be promoted. And objections from any of the relatives can veto the promotion.

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"If we want to help the public have filial piety, officials should take the lead," said Qi Jinghai, Party secretary of the county, which is receiving the country's key poverty alleviation support.

So far, a total of 11 officials in the county were denied promotion due to lack of filial piety.

The move triggered heated debate online, with some saying that what the people really need are capable officials rather than kind-hearted people who treat their parents well, and some arguing that only those who are good to their parents can win people's respect and become good officials.

"Officials should show more filial piety to their parents than common people," said a local resident, adding, "I would doubt he can do his job well if he doesn't even treat his parents well."

County officials also said filial piety is an important part in officials getting promoted but not all, and it doesn't contradict the current assessment of officials' ability.