Chinese mayor quits over poor salary

The mayor of Jining city in China's Shandong province has resigned over poor salary, authorities said on Tuesday.

Mei Yonghong's resignation was approved by the Jining People's Congress on Sunday, making him the second bureau-level official to quit office in Shandong since June, the China Daily reported.

Mei said in an interview in March that civil servants in China get a very low wage. His monthly income was about 7,000 yuan ($1,100), and county-level officers could earn as little as 3,000 yuan, far less than migrant workers in factories.

"I have to work more than 10 hours a day and have hardly any weekends or holidays, but get so little salary," he said.

According to an official, Mei will now serve as an executive in Shenzhen Huada Gene Technology.

From 2010 to 2015, Mei was the deputy party secretary and mayor in Jining. His last public official activity was on September 1, when he attended the Jining cultural centre opening ceremony at Taibai lake.