Recently, a key state-owned property project in Baiyun District, Guangzhou, after completing the construction of 7 buildings in 80 days, was demolished again after more than ten days. The official explanation was only that “the procedures were not completed,” sparking controversy.
According to the mainland media “Jiangxi Urban Scene” reported on July 15, the “Bay Area Wisdom Garden” project near Chentian Garden in Baiyun District, Guangzhou, completed 7 buildings within the rushed 80-day construction period, only to be demolished in just over ten days.
The project was once listed as a key national capital science and innovation project in the district. On October 14, 2024, the Baiyun District government signed an agreement with the Guangzhou Construction Group Co., Ltd., to jointly build the “Bay Area Wisdom Garden.” According to the agreement, the project was planned to be developed as a comprehensive park integrating technology innovation center and talent base against the background of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area construction.
Regarding the demolition of the buildings, local residents nearby questioned, “Whose money was used for construction and demolition, is it the taxpayers’ money?”
The staff of the Comprehensive Administration and Law Enforcement Team of Huangshi Street, Baiyun District, Guangzhou, stated that the demolition was carried out in accordance with the law due to the failure to complete the building procedures. The media reporter contacted the public contact numbers of the Baiyun District Housing Construction and Transportation Bureau and the Baiyun District Development and Reform Bureau in Guangzhou, trying to understand the project approval process and supervision details, but did not receive a clear response.
The staff of the Urban Management and Comprehensive Law Enforcement Bureau of Baiyun District, Guangzhou, stated that the demolition of illegal buildings in the area has been transferred to the local street comprehensive administration and law enforcement team for handling. When the reporter asked when the project would start, the staff said they were “unable to disclose” that information. The staff of the Comprehensive Administration and Law Enforcement Team of Huangshi Street, Baiyun District, where the project is located, stated that the person in charge of the project would follow up and provide specific information, but there was no response thereafter.
Mainland media questioned that within half a year, building and demolishing projects one after another, wasting huge sums of money. This inevitably raises the question, which part of the process, from project initiation, approval to supervision, went wrong? Who should be held responsible for this?
On the overseas X platform, netizens commented: “The quality of these buildings completed in 80 days can be imagined to be very poor! Bold speculation, these buildings were probably planned to be demolished shortly after construction began,” “With each construction and demolition, money is spent recklessly,” “They know how to play the game, doubling the GDP,” “Building and demolishing, whose money doesn’t matter, what matters is ‘GDP doubled'”.