THE so-called Sea Palace in Dongshan Bay in Longgang District was not demolished but dismantled, in consideration of the development of marine tourism, the maximum use of resources and pollution control.
The remarks were contained in a statement released by the Longgang District Government on Tuesday, in response to questions from the media and the public.
The Sea Palace was separated into three sections. The villa would be renovated for fishing and aquatic farming, the statement said.
The Sea Palace owner, Sea Elites Entertainment Co., had obtained a license to operate a leisure fishery business in 2007, but the company turned it into a private club. After it was dismantled, the company became eligible to conduct the business and has obtained licenses, the Longgang marine and fishery administration said.
The administration had required the Sea Palace management to open to the public after renovations and the function of the premises could not be changed without approval, Dai Yuru, head of the Longgang marine and fishery administration was quoted as saying by Southern Metropolis Daily.
The European-style villa was ordered to be demolished after the Guangdong provincial marine supervision authority concluded it was an illegal building in May last year.
It was recently approved to reopen to the public and the approval had been regarded by many netizens as a slap in the face for the government.
Although the operation of the Sea Palace might involve pollution such as the discharge of waste water into sea, the environment authority said it could not monitor the villa because it was not on land, which means it is out of its jurisdiction.
According to the marine authority, the Sea Palace was not allowed to discharge waste, organize private gatherings or set off fireworks during holidays.
Guo Kuizhang, the owner of the villa and a property developer, was quoted by the newspaper as saying that the public was welcome to visit.
It is not enough for a single government unit to supervise the marine activities if it involves a business operation, said Ding Yiman, a political adviser in Longgang.
The market supervision, environmental protection and taxation authorities must [also] be involved, said Ding.
Professor Jiao Hongcang of China University of Political Science and Law was quoted by the Daily as saying that the Sea Palace, an illegal building, was legalized through administrative procedures. This was just like selling [part of] the ocean to an individual, Jiao said.
(Han Ximin)
