From Yahoo.com:
China has ordered local authorities to address the root causes of rising public discontent, state media reported on Saturday, in an apparent sign of growing concern over social stability.
Local officials have been told they will be denied promotions unless they minimise social unrest in their areas, Xinhua news agency quoted a top Community Party official as saying. “Officials who perform poorly in maintaining social stability in rural areas will not be qualified for promotion,” it quoted Ouyang Song, a senior party official in charge of personnel matters, as saying. [Full Text]
See also: China orders probe into rising ‘social disorder’ in rural areas from Earthtimes.org.