Policemen in Northeast China's Harbin City might lose their jobs if they became too fat, the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported Tuesday.

The patrol police branch of the Public Security Bureau of Harbin has passed a new regulation saying that policemen with waistlines more than 0.9 of a meter would be laid off.

The regulation, effective at the end of this year, is aimed at encouraging policemen to do more physical exercise to be more qualified to perform their duties.

Policemen under the age of 30 are required to keep their weight under 70 kilograms and their waistlines within 0.83 of a meter. Policemen under 40 are required to keep their weight below 75 kilograms and waistlines under 0.9 of a meter.

Policemen who do not meet the requirements will be laid off.

(Shenzhen Daily June 16, 2004)