The publicity surrounding China's first manned space docking is putting the spotlight on the country's first female astronaut, Liu Yang. She’s been celebrated as a source of national pride in China. 

In contrast, the story of another Chinese woman has had the opposite effect. Her name is Feng Jianmei. She was forced to undergo a late-term abortion by Chinese officials, because she and her husband could not pay the fine for having a second child under China's strict one-child policy. And her ordeal has become a source of national embarrassment.

This post was one of the most popular ones on Sina Weibo, a Chinese version of Twitter.  It was forwarded more than 80,000 times before it was censored and deleted:

Another post quickly summed up the media coverage surrounding the two incidents:

"The whole world sees China as a joke."

A milder point of view encouraged compassion for both women:

"Liu Yang, 33 years old. Feng Jianmei, 22 years old. I wish the best of luck to Liu Yang, but I care more about Feng Jianmei. Liu Yang is one of the elite, Feng Jianmei is a regular person—two classes, two fates. While you're proudly cheering [for one], can you spare some sympathy [for the other]?"

Meanwhile, one angry man lamented that the illegal forced abortions would continue:

"Unforgivable. The Family Planning Commission hasn't just done this once or twice; it does it all the time! Chinese law is unable to punish these abominable acts. No wonder rich Chinese people all want to go overseas." 

In response to the incident, the local government has fired two officials for their involvement in the forced abortion.