Political cartoons depicting the demise of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi have gone viral in cyberspace on the mainland.
They raise embarrassing questions about China's position during the nine-month conflict in the North African nation.
In one of the most popular cartoons circulated on several microblogging sites, a dying Gaddafi cries out to be treated at Beijing's 301 Military Hospital, an elite institute which treats top communist leaders.
The cartoonist, using the pseudonym Biantai Lajiao, which literally means 'pervert pepper', said his inspiration came from photos of the dictator, who reportedly begged for his life after being captured by Libyan rebels in his hometown of Sirte.
The cartoon, with its dig at Chinese authorities and mockery of their policy towards Libya, became a hit on Sina Weibo and the microblogging service of news portal 163.com.
The hospital, run by the People's Liberation Army, is often seen as a symbol of the political elite on the mainland. The facility has treated Deng Xiaoping, former president Jiang Zemin, top cadres and select foreign dignitaries who were allowed into the hospital as 'old friends of the Chinese people'.
