China cuts demolitions to reduce protests

[dArKeR]

REUTERS , BEIJING

China will demolish far fewer buildings this year to reduce widespread and sometimes violent protests by occupants that the government sees as destabilizing.

The clampdown on destruction of old buildings would also help check overinvestment in new construction, a key cause of economic overheating that the government is trying to cool, the State Council said in a statement on the Construction Ministry's Web site.

" should strictly control the area of demolition and relocation and ensure that the total area demolished nationwide this year is distinctly less than that of last year," it said.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/06/16/2003175262

A crippled Chinese man complains of being beaten by officials on a road leading to the State Council office in Beijing yesterday. Petitioners from around China crowd the petition office daily in hopes of getting justice from the central authorities.
PHOTO: AP

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/photo/2004/06/16/2003138137

Jackie Chan's Communist Puppet Masters at work.