10 officials punished for damage to urban parks

Luo Jijing, deputy Party secretary of Guangzhou, Guangdong's provincial capital, and Lin Daoping, the city's vice-mayor, have been held accountable for the large-scale cutting down and relocation of trees in the city, the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a statement released over the weekend.

Luo was given a Party warning, while Lin was given a serious Party warning, had a major demerit in government affairs recorded and was removed from office, the statement, which was published on the commission's website, said.

The large-scale relocation and cutting down of trees destroyed a number of ancient trees and damaged the natural environment and the historical and cultural features of the southern metropolis, which has a history of more than 2,200 years, it said.

The behavior was typical of destructive "construction", resulting in significant negative effects and irreparable losses, the statement said.

"Their mistakes are serious and the lessons are profound," it said.

Lin Keqing, Party chief of Guangzhou, said many ancient trees were relocated and damaged after the city launched projects to reconstruct urban parks and green roads from the end of last year.

He urged further improvement of the urban ecosystem, and strengthening of the protection and inheritance of the city's history and culture to allow it to retain its memories.

Li Xi, Party secretary of Guangdong province, urged Guangzhou to implement rectification measures and told other cities in the province to learn from the incident.

"We should adhere to the ecological civilization concept of respecting nature, conforming to nature and protecting nature, strengthen the inheritance of civilization and culture, pay attention to the protection and inheritance of history and culture, while accelerating urban construction and improving the quality of urban life," Li said at a work conference in Guangzhou on Sunday.

Luo and Lin Daoping were among 10 Party and government officials and legislators disciplined and punished over the relocation or cutting down of trees in the city.

Other officials dismissed or punished included Liu Xianrong, Party secretary and director of the Guangzhou Bureau of Forestry and Landscaping; Jiang Guihong, deputy head of Guangzhou's Yuexiu district; and Gao Geng'en, Party secretary and director of the Yuexiu district construction and water bureau.