Demolition ends China house row

Remember the post of the single house? I'm afraid no more climbing.

The demolition ends a three-year dispute with Wu Ping's family

"The home of a Chinese family who defied property developers in a high-profile campaign has been demolished after a deal was reportedly agreed.

The family of Wu Ping, or Stubborn Nail as Chinese media called her, gave up defending the house - isolated in the middle of a huge construction pit.

Ms Wu's family was the only one of 281 in the area who rejected an initial deal to move from the Chongqing site.

Of the reported new deal, Ms Wu said: "I can't talk about that now."

New law

The dispute had lasted three years and became a cause celebre for many Chinese who have tried to fight property developers.

A night watchman at the building site told AFP news agency: "The stubborn nail has been removed."

The house stands alone in the middle of a building site Enlarge Image

Ms Wu, when told the house in the south-western city had been demolished, said: "Oh well."

A deadline set by a court ordering her to authorise the demolition ran out last Thursday, and it was not clear what steps the authorities would take next.

Her husband, Yang Wu, stayed in the house until the demolition, hanging out banners reading: "The legal private property of citizens cannot be violated."

China's parliament last week passed a landmark law to boost protection of property rights for individuals.

Accusations of illegal land grabs and corruption have dogged China's fast-paced building expansion.

An onlooker on Monday, Wang Qi, told AFP: "It's just like them to destroy the house in the middle of the night."

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