A major collapse incident occurred on the Guangdong-Mei Expressway, claiming the lives of at least 48 people and leaving 30 injured, making it a significant accident. There is widespread concern about the cause of the accident and who should bear the related responsibilities. Guangdong Province’s state-owned enterprise, Guangdong Province Transportation Group, has been exposed as one of the management entities of the Mei Expressway. The director of the group is likely to face significant trouble.
In the early hours of May 1st, the number of casualties has been steadily increasing, starting from 1 person and rising to 19, then 24, followed by 36, and now up to the officially reported 48 people. The number of injured stands at 30.
According to the relevant regulations of the Chinese Communist Party, accidents resulting in the death of over 30 people are classified as significant accidents.
The confirmed death toll of 48 people is merely a figure, as some individuals remain unaccounted for. Therefore, netizens speculate that there may be more casualties.
Reports indicate that the section of the accident on the expressway was constructed less than a decade ago, with both the project construction and operational management being handled by companies under Guangdong Province Transportation Group.
The operating management entity of the Mei Expressway is Guangdong Dachao Expressway Co., Ltd. (referred to as “Guangdong Dachao Expressway”). Articles on the official public account “Dachao Expressway” repeatedly mention the company’s responsibility for the operation services of the Mei Expressway.
It is reported that prior to the accident on April 24th, the controlling shareholder of Guangdong Dachao Expressway, Guangdong Communication Industry Investment Co., Ltd. (referred to as “Guangdong Communications Investment”), led a team to conduct research and supervision at Guangdong Dachao Expressway.
Data from the Tianyancha app shows that Guangdong Dachao Expressway was established in 2016 with a registered capital of 30 million RMB and the legal representative being Deng Bin. In 2022, Guangdong Dachao Expressway was involved in several new litigation cases, with 33.3% of the cases related to disputes over purchase contracts with Yuyi Sandstone Co., Ltd. in Dapu County.
It is worth noting that Guangdong Bodagao Expressway, Guangdong Bridge Construction, Guangdong Highway Construction, Guangdong Dachao Expressway, and Guangdong Communications Investment are all members under the state-owned enterprise Guangdong Province Transportation Group.
Public information shows that Guangdong Province Transportation Group is a large state-owned asset authorization and operation limited liability company established on June 28, 2000, headquartered in Guangzhou with a registered capital of 26.8 billion RMB. The group is responsible for the unified management of investment, construction, and operation of provincial-level highways.
Currently, Guangdong Province Transportation Group owns or controls 16 companies, including two listed companies [Yue Gao Su (A+B), Yue Yun Transport (H)], four enterprises stationed in Hong Kong and Macau, with a total of 173 companies within the consolidated financial statements and approximately 62,000 employees. By the end of 2022, the group’s managed assets totaled approximately 740.4 billion RMB, ranking among the top 50 companies in Guangdong and the top 500 companies in China.
The financial report of Guangdong Province Transportation Group for 2023 shows that the company achieved a revenue of 56.747 billion RMB in 2023, with a year-on-year increase of 13.44%; net profit was 2.029 billion RMB, with a year-on-year decrease of 22.38%.
The above report has sparked public attention, with many believing that the various levels of management involved cannot escape their connection or the responsibilities they must bear.
A search by Epoch Times reporters found that in previous media reports on Guangdong Province Transportation Group, some reports wrote the director’s name as Cai Conghua, while most wrote it as Deng Xiaohua. Additionally, some related reports have been taken down.
Public information from Baidu Baike shows that Deng Xiaohua, born in August 1964, is a member of the Chinese Communist Party. He currently serves as the Chairman and Party Secretary of Guangdong Province Transportation Group Co., Ltd., as well as the Vice Chairman of the Science, Education, Health and Sports Committee of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
His resume indicates that he has held various positions, including engineer at Guangshen Expressway Co., Ltd., Assistant General Manager, Chief Engineer, Deputy General Manager, and General Manager at Guangdong Provincial Highway Construction Co., Ltd., Director, Deputy General Manager, General Manager, and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee at Guangdong Province Transportation Group Co., Ltd.
In October 2016, he was appointed as Chairman of Guangdong Province Transportation Group Co., Ltd. In January 2023, he became the Vice Chairman of the Science, Education, Health and Sports Committee of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. He is also a member of the Thirteenth Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference of Guangdong Province.
Public information reveals that the Mei Expressway has a total length of 61.3 kilometers, constructed as a dual two-lane standard with a design speed of 100 kilometers per hour, with a total investment of approximately 5.637 billion RMB. The Mei Expressway has a bridge and tunnel ratio of 51%, the highest among mountainous expressways in Guangdong Province at the time, with high-risk incidents such as roof collapse, collapse, and water infiltration occurring multiple times during construction.
The stakeholders in a highway project mainly include construction, design, construction, supervision, and operation-related units, with the construction entity being the organizer and manager of engineering construction and the operation entity being responsible for maintenance project management.
Many netizens express that as the management entity of the expressway, Guangdong Province Transportation Group Co., Ltd. undoubtedly bears an inescapable responsibility. Deng Xiaohua, who is three months away from retirement, may find it difficult to evade accountability. Meanwhile, the local authorities are also implicated and must investigate whether there are issues of quality or dereliction of duty.
Netizens strongly urge for a thorough investigation to uncover the full details of the incident. Only by knowing the true causes can the unfortunate victims rest in peace, and their loved ones and friends receive closure.