Beijing has vowed to hunt down and punish officials who forced a seven-months pregnant woman to have an abortion, in a case which sparked outrage throughout the world.

Feng Jianmei, who is in her 20s, was forced to have an abortion in early June after breaking China's one-child family planning legislation, becasue she already had a five year old child.

In itself, the pregnancy was not illegal - but it is reported the abortion was forced on Feng because she could not pay the financial security bond required to prove she could support the second child.

A photo of Feng with her aborted baby, posted online by her partner, was picked up by bloggers worldwide.

Regional officials in Shaanxi province, where the incident took place, say those responsible have already been suspended, and there is no need for further investigation.

Feng is reportedly in poor health, and her lawyers say they have been denied access to her.