A newspaper report on JPMorgan over its hiring of influential Chinese officials' children sparked widespread vitriol among the country's netizens.

Most of the web users supported the US authorities' probe into the investment company's hiring practice, with some calling it an "open secret" and "just a drop in the bucket."

According to a report by the New York Times over the weekend, JPMorgan hired the children of Chinese officials and the bank later secured deals with companies these officials work with. The US authorities have opened investigations into the cases.

Netizen "BitterVautrin" said it has been an unwritten rule to hire people with a good background in companies like JPMorgan. "There is no way a person can get into a core department unless he or she has deep government connections."

"A degree from prestigious universities like Peking University or Tsinghua University does not count," said "BitterVautrin" on Sina Weibo, China's Twitter-like microblogging site.

Netizen "Li Yifan" believes the practice is rampant. "If investigations are conducted into financial companies, law firms, and public relations companies which serve the world's top 500 companies in China, you will have big findings."

Another Sina Weibo user "Xiang Xianjun" joked that the probe of the US government is trying to help curb "the unfair competition of fathers" in China.

Some other netizens are concerned about unfair competition among companies.

"Haili China" wrote on a online forum at 55188.com that China has become the world's second largest economy and foreign companies are eager to grab a share of its market.

"The children of influential officials may know key economic policies before they are announced, bringing huge benefits to their employers," said "Haili China."

A renowned Chinese commentator Yang Jinlin reflected on China's market order. "Flies go for cracked eggs. Everything has a wherefore," he wrote on Sina Weibo.

"If our market is fair and open enough, there is no way for foreign companies to seek lucrative profits in this way," he said.