China axes Guangzhou officials for destroying thousands of banyan trees
- Party watchdog calls destruction ‘a serious mistake’ and sanctions 10 with sacking or reprimands
- More than 4,000 mature trees were felled, many in parks and beauty spots, despite a public outcry against the project
Chinese state media reported on Monday that more than 4,000 mature trees were felled in the city, the capital of Guangdong province, despite community opposition to the destruction.
The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection – the Communist Party’s watchdog – said the act “has caused grave negative impacts and irreparable losses, and it was a serious mistake … a profound lesson should be learned”, according to official news agency Xinhua.
The disciplinary agency said the removal of the trees had “destroyed the natural ecological environment and historical and cultural features of the city, and damaged the people’s beautiful memories and hurt their feelings for the city deeply”.
Observers said the stern disciplinary action sent a strong signal about President Xi Jinping’s priority on protecting the environment, but they cautioned that local officials often faced few checks and balances in their decision-making.
Guangzhou deputy mayor Lin Daoping was fired and received a serious reprimand from the party, according to the announcement. Similar action was taken against the former and serving directors of the city’s forestry and garden bureau, Yang Guoquan and Liu Xianrong.