In Shandong’s Linyi City, Lanshan District, which is known as the “Lanshan Model” by outsiders, the recent demolition and relocation operations have once again sparked controversy. A resident complained that their house was forcefully demolished two years ago without signing any acquisition agreement or receiving any prior notice. Despite the district government confirming the illegal actions of the street office last year, no compensation, redress, or relocation has been provided until now.
Living in the Houlipu community of Lanshan Street Office, Ms. Xu, a neighbor of Peng Huanmei, told Epoch Times on September 2 that in the afternoon of April 18, 2023, Peng Huanmei’s son and daughter-in-law discovered that two houses had been razed to the ground while passing by their old house on the way to pick up their child from school, with all belongings inside also cleared out. Prior to this, the water and electricity supply to the house had been deliberately damaged, forcing the family to relocate elsewhere. She said, “I remember calling the police at around three o’clock in the afternoon, the local police station initially refused to respond, and at last, two police officers reluctantly arrived, but refused to issue a record of receiving the report, citing ‘leadership disagreement’.”
Following the incident, Peng Huanmei inquired from various sources and learned that her property had been included in the demolition scope. A friend of Peng Huanmei told the reporter, “They demolished the house while Huanmei was away. Many houses here have been forcefully demolished in this manner, without legal procedures, compensation, or resettlement. After the demolition, the land is sold to real estate developers.”
In the past two years, Peng Huanmei has been seeking justice through appeals and rights protection, but faced repeated retaliation. Peng Huanmei’s relative Zhao Xin said, “Due to her complaints, her eldest son was pressured by the street office staff, who even staged protests outside his workplace, ultimately leading to his dismissal from the job.”
When contacted by the reporter, Peng Huanmei stated that she is under threat and currently unable to give an interview, but emphasized that the accounts of her neighbors and friends are true. “It’s true that my house was forcefully demolished, I have petitioned in Beijing multiple times, but no one paid attention. I’m not comfortable speaking with you at the moment.”
Zhao Xin mentioned that on June 8, 2023, Peng Huanmei filed an administrative review with the Linyi Lanshan District Government, requesting a confirmation of the illegality of the street office’s behavior and seeking compensation. On March 14, 2024, the Lanshan District Government issued an “Administrative Review Decision,” determining that the street office’s demolition actions were indeed unlawful. However, over a year later, her family has yet to receive any form of compensation or resettlement arrangements.
A visiting resident of Shandong, Ms. Meng, informed the reporter that Peng Huanmei had repeatedly notified the former Linyi Municipal Party Secretary and current Deputy Mayor, Sun Deshi, about the forced demolition of her house through letters and text messages, but received no response. She questioned the local government’s commitment to “responding to everything and implementing every matter,” stating that it is all talk. She said, “Peng Huanmei can’t understand why no actions are taken against the government for illegally demolishing her house?”
Ms. Xu added, “Today Beijing is holding a military parade, officials on the Tiananmen Gate Tower are enjoying the limelight, but the rights of ordinary people are not being protected. Peng Huanmei told me, ‘the emperor is subject to the same laws as the common people since ancient times,’ can the public authority ignore the law and do as they please?”
Analysts point out that the demolition and relocation model in Lanshan District of Linyi has a history of opaque acquisition processes and lack of information disclosure, leading residents to suddenly lose their properties without preparation. Once complaints arise, the authorities often resort to suppression in the name of “stability maintenance,” creating a “gray area” where public power lacks oversight.
The “Lanshan Model” has long been subjected to public scrutiny. Public records show that this model often involves practices such as “fraudulent agreement signing,” “proxy consent signing,” and “nighttime demolition” during the acquisition process, resulting in numerous mass petition incidents. An unnamed legal professional pointed out, “These cases often reflect the local government’s tolerance for ‘low illegal costs’ and ‘dysfunctional accountability mechanisms’ in land acquisition and demolition.”
As of the time of publication, the Linyi Lanshan District Government and the Lanshan Street Office have not responded to the reporter’s request for an interview on this matter.