News that a 25-year-old woman had been appointed vice dean of a north China university caused a storm among Chinese bloggers this February after it emerged that her father is mayor of a nearby city. The bloggers expressed deep skepticism about the appointment of someone so young to a high-ranking university post.

Wang Shengqi was born in 1986 and started work after graduating in 2008. In July 2010 she was promoted Vice Dean of the Institute of International Education at Shihua University in Liaoning Province. When it emerged that her father is mayor of a city in Liaoning Province, bloggers were quick to suggest that she owed her unusually quick promotion to his political influence.

But an official from Shihua University refuted the online speculation. He said the university had adopted a policy of training and appointing younger officials, and Wang's appointment was in strict accordance with regulations.