In the news circulations on May 29th, the report of “Over a Hundred Unfinished Buildings Exposed in an Industrial Park in Tianjin” has sparked widespread social attention. These abandoned and decaying unfinished buildings, with an investment of 1.3 billion yuan, have been left idle for over 10 years, presenting a shocking sight. This revelation has prompted netizens to raise existential questions: why did CCTV expose the situation in Tianjin when unfinished buildings can be found across the nation? Speculations arise that someone within the Tianjin official ranks may become a scapegoat.
According to CCTV reports, in Binhai New Area of Tianjin, the Xiaxiang Chemical Industry Material Management Center, also known as the Binhai Building Material City, appears orderly when viewed from above. Since the construction began in August 2011, the project remains incomplete, with the land resources in prolonged underutilization, abandoned without takers, turning into a zombie zone, a hollow park.
A decade ago, the project was publicized under the name of Binhai Xiaxiang International Logistics Center, with a total planned investment of 1.3 billion yuan to establish a modern logistics distribution base integrating procurement, warehousing, trading, and settlement. At that time, the project claimed to have attracted over 150 merchants with intentions to move in, with a goal of eventually accommodating nearly 1,000 businesses, expecting annual sales revenue to reach 20 billion yuan. However, a full decade has passed, with no tenants moving in or completion of construction. A rough estimate suggests there are over a hundred unfinished buildings in the area. The area where the foundation has been laid but construction has not started is quite extensive.
It is reported that Tianjin Xiaxiang Investment Development Co., Ltd., responsible for the investment and construction of the project, is now on the brink of bankruptcy, with its land seized. After the company entered the bankruptcy liquidation stage, the investors who had purchased shops in the past became creditors, with some strongly opposing handling their purchased properties solely as creditors, repeatedly petitioning the government to confirm property rights.
On the other hand, the development company, Xiaxiang Corporation, attributed the failure to the government’s support policies not being fulfilled on time, cautious attitudes from financial institutions and partners leading to the breakdown of the company’s financial chain, and entanglement in financial litigation. With subsequent construction units ceasing work one after another and registered merchants evacuating, a series of problems have accumulated, leading the project into a dead end to this day.
The above news has ignited the online sphere, with many netizens raising numerous questions, including who is responsible for the project, how many departments are involved, why did it remain unfinished, where did the money go, and how could the top officials in Tianjin turn a blind eye to these unfinished…
Many netizens believe that there are too many unfinished buildings across the country, so why did CCTV expose the unfinished buildings in Tianjin? It is speculated that someone within the Tianjin official ranks may be in trouble.
Weibo influencer “LoveBlueGems”: The exposure of over a hundred unfinished buildings in Tianjin is just the tip of the iceberg, not to mention the abandoned buildings in the Binhai industrial park, there are also unfinished buildings in downtown Tianjin!
Weibo user “Pig_LazyLady”: There are plenty of unfinished buildings like this nationwide. There has been an unfinished building near my home for decades, yet no one dares to take over.
Beijing’s prominent Weibo influencer “GreatLandlordV”: Unfinished buildings in Tianjin are nothing new, go see the unfinished buildings in Jing-Jin New City!
Some netizens expressed that the issue of unfinished buildings involves numerous vested interests, and they are not optimistic about a comprehensive solution.