Word: xiantang
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...gleaming white government headquarters building that sits in the middle of Xiantang, a village of 3,500 in China's industrial heartland of Guangdong, is a concrete symbol of that which is wrong with the country's economic boom. The structure was built a few years ago as surrounding farmlands were being turned into residential developments. It was supposed to be the Communist Party's local power center. But there are no cadres in sight. Since July 2, Xiantang has had no leadership...
...Xiantang's residents claim officials cheated them by dealing land rights to their fields to property developers without adequately compensating farmers. "They sold our land and made money off it," says one resident, "but they gave us nothing." More than 2,000 villagers signed a petition accusing top local official Lai Zhenchang of masterminding the scheme. Officials used the proceeds to refurbish their homes and send their children to study overseas, villagers say; farmers were offered $8 a month each in compensation. (The Foshan city government, which has supervisory authority over Xiantang, did not respond to requests for comment...
...occupiers of Xiantang's city hall are hoping their protest will force Beijing to act. So far, the police have not moved in to evict them, probably because Xiantang is small and the discontent shows no sign of spreading. But the villagers' resolve is fading. "People have to get back to work," says one protester. Beijing can no doubt win this skirmish by ignoring it. But the war on corruption will not be won by looking the other...
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