Want a promotion? Treat mum well says China county

BEIJING (Reuters) - A county in central China plans in-depth checks on how its officials' treat their parents, with those who are nice to their mum and dad first in line for promotion, Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

Up to 500 family members, friends, colleagues and neighbours will be grilled by special investigators about the behaviour of each official from Changyuan county, including their family values and any drinking or gambling habits, the report said.

The findings will be considered when deciding promotions.

China's leaders are fretting about how to support its ageing population, and worried about slipping moral standards as younger generations rush to take advantage of the booming national economy.