Property-hoarding official suspended

SHENZHEN - An official of a neighborhood community in South China's Guangdong province was suspended from duty on Tuesday after Internet users' reports of his huge property portfolio triggered public outrage.

Zhou Weisi, deputy head of Nanlian Community Workstation, a subordinate of Longgang District Neighborhood Community in Shenzhen City of Guangdong, was outed as allegedly owning property worth at least two billion yuan ($321,000 dollars), far more than could be afforded on the income of an ordinary official.

The tip-off said Zhou has more than 80 houses, villas, factories and mansions, more than 20 luxury cars and a high-end hotel. It also mentioned that he illegally occupied and sold land through his position and offered bribes to local government.

The supervisory bureau of Longgang District launched an investigation into the issue on Tuesday.

Zhou, who is also the vice chairman of a joint-stock company and chairman of another trade and development company, said his property was accumulated by his business.

"There are records of all the rental property in the house rent and management department, and I have paid taxes," Zhou told Xinhua.

"We will handle the issue according to laws and in a transparent and fair way," said Yang Xiaoming, secretary of Longgang District Neighborhood Community committee of the Communist Party of China.

Earlier last month, authorities in south China's city of Guangzhou suspended senior urban management official Cai Bin over suspicions that he took large bribes while holding previous positions in the local government.

The suspicions were raised after netizens alleged that Cai's family owned more homes than they could afford on Cai's salary.