A construction boom is underway at the moment in Shenyang, the capital city of Liaoning Province, to prepare for the 13th National Games of China next year.

Amid the building boom, however, the demolition of the Shenyang Green Island Stadium earlier this month was hard for people to understand. The stadium was only built in 2003, with a huge investment of 800 million yuan ($125.7 million), and was once a local source of pride.

I think the biggest push for such projects lies in the distorted goals of local governments.

The construction booms are merely the latest demonstration of their quest for size and magnificence. But what generally comes with this is corruption and waste of money. I don't know if they still remember the lessons of China's tragic Great Leap Forward movement in 1958.

The building boom across the country must be stopped, because it is not real growth but a mere pursuit of luxury.

China Newsweek