In an act of public insubordination, the People’s Procuratorate of Xuzhou City refused orders to send its staff out into the streets to “help maintain traffic order” in a bid for a “National Civilized City” title.

Xuzhou, which is located in east China’s Jiangsu province, has ordered more than 100 official sectors to delegate their staff to the city’s streets. So far, only the People’s Procuratorate, the public prosecutor’s office, has refused to do so, citing a July 28 ruling that protects judicial staff from being deployed for any duties other than those established by the Procuratorate directly. “The People’s Court and Procuratorate have the right to reject any requirements from any institution or individual that obligate judges and prosecutors to fulfill any responsibilities beyond their normal statutory duties,” the ruling read.

Procuratorate staff reached by Sixth Tone declined to comment. Netizens’ comments following the insubordinate posturing were overwhelmingly positive, and Zhang Wei, a judge at the Intermediate People’s Court of Hunan province, wrote in a comment that he supported the Xuzhou Procuratorate’s courageous decision.

By ordering city staff to help with unruly traffic, Xuzhou hopes to achieve the National Civilized City title. To be considered for the title, a city has to have a GDP per capita higher than the national average, and no record of intellectual property violations or corruption among its top politicians. 

The amount of green space, wastewater treatment, and satisfaction among residents — measured using surveys including questions on whether residents had ever found spoiled food in the city — as well as more than 60 other indicators determine whether a city is awarded the title. Inspection teams also consider a range of undesirable behaviors, such as whether residents habitually spit on the ground or run red lights.

“Though the title of National Civilized City can bring a better environment, more investment, and order to the city, for politicians, the honor can also mean a good evaluation on their political performance,” said Zhu Lijia, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Governance in Beijing. 

(Header image: A view of the city of Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, Nov. 11, 2012. Xinhua)