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R 280954Z MAR 07
FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5933
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 000398 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
USDOC FOR 4420/ITA/MAC/MCQUEEN 
STATE ALSO PASS USTR 
USPACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV SOCI ECON CH
SUBJECT: Villagers Clash with Construction Workers at Site of 
Guangzhou's Future Biomedical Industry Park 
 
REFERENCE: A) Guangzhou 353; B) Guangzhou 322; C) Guangzhou 06 
32380; D) Guangzhou 06 32306; E) Guangzhou 06 32264; F) Guangzhou 06 
13564; G) Guangzhou 06 11879; H) Guangzhou 06 11684; I) Guangzhou 06 
2194; J) Guangzhou 04 16347 
 
(U) This document is sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: One villager died and others were injured when a 
fight broke out between construction workers and villagers on 
Guanzhou island, the site of a planned biomedical industry park on 
the outskirts of Guangzhou. This incident comes one year after 
police arrested three villagers on the island following protests 
over land use and compensation. Guanzhou island is adjacent to 
University City, where villagers and homeowners have clashed with 
the government over land requisitions for a similar development 
project. END SUMMARY 
 
A Traffic Accident Blows Up 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) On March 20, villagers gathered at a construction site after 
a dump truck driven by a construction worker hit a villager. The 
incident quickly escalated and at one point 30-40 workers with iron 
rods fought against the villagers, according to western and local 
media reports. One villager died and 15 villagers and workers were 
injured. Riot police closed off access roads to the island and 
arrested some of those involved. Construction has stopped on the 
island and police have visited twice to remove a memorial put up by 
villagers for the person who died. The district government has set 
up a special task force to investigate the incident. 
 
Site of Land Dispute 
---------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) Guanzhou island, located in south Guangzhou in a tributary of 
the Pearl River, is the site of a planned biomedical industry park. 
The city government requisitioned 330 acres of land on the island 
several years ago and has demolished a number of homes since then. 
According to western and Hong Kong press reports, villagers continue 
to claim that the land seizure was illegal and the government 
provided compensation at rates below market value. The district 
government claims that some villagers moved onto the land after the 
purchase in order to extort money from the government. Police 
arrested three of the villagers last year following a protest on the 
island over the development plans and compensation. 
 
Ties to a Nearby Hot Spot 
------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Guanzhou Island is adjacent to a larger island that is home 
to Guangzhou's University City, a new development that includes 10 
satellite university campuses and six sports stadiums. The 
University City project generated protests by villagers when it was 
initiated in 2003, leading to several violent confrontations. In 
addition to villagers, a community of 200 homeowners on the island, 
mainly artists, engineers, and professors, demonstrated against the 
land seizure and compensation rates (Reftel J). One of the 
homeowners, Samsun Wu, told Congenoff that government compensation 
was below market value and that their efforts to build a legal case 
went nowhere. (Famed human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who is now 
under house arrest, represented the group.) 
 
¶5. (SBU) Approximately 400 villagers in two villages continue to 
live on the University City island in defiance of government orders. 
Police have forcibly removed the villagers' temporary shelters on 
several occasions, but the villagers returned each time. According 
to Wu, villagers on Guanzhou island and the University City island 
are in communication with each other and likely share experiences in 
how to deal with authorities. 
 
Comment: A Sensitive Subject 
---------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Although a traffic accident is the official explanation for 
this confrontation, villagers' lingering resentment over the 
conditions of the land deal seems to be behind it. Protests over 
land seizures in Guangdong are a regular occurrence (see reftels), 
particularly in rapidly urbanizing areas such as the Pearl River 
Delta. Without an effective legal system to serve as an outlet, 
farmers and homeowners are often left frustrated. Local officials 
are under coming under increased pressure to avoid these types of 
situations as the central government emphasizes social stability 
 
GUANGZHOU 00000398  002 OF 002 
 
 
under the principle of a "harmonious society." As the rural 
population becomes more interconnected and thus more aware of their 
options, however, they may be less willing to back down. 
 
GOLDBERG