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Luxurious concert in poverty-hit county cancelled

Chinadaily.com.cn, May 18, 2012

• Fuyuan county, a national-level poverty-stricken county in Southwest China's Yunnan province, has called off a concert that may have cost tens of millions of yuan on May 16, People's Daily reported Wednesday.

  Information about the concert was initially released online by a netizen, which led to heated public discussions, some saying that it's incredible for an impoverished county to spend tens of millions of yuan to invite stars for a concert. Moreover, Yunnan province is suffering from an ongoing drought, and many people don't have enough drinking water.

  Fuyuan county announced on May 14 that the concert was sponsored by the local coal association, and the total cost would not be tens of millions of yuan.

  On May 16, Fuyuan county informed the media that the suggestion about large-scale festival activities was not suitable during the drought season, and the government decided to cancel the concert.

  The concert, as a part of the cultural festival in Fuyuan county, was aimed at enriching the cultural life of local people, according to festival organizers.

  "The efforts of local officials to develop the provincial economy should be encouraged, but the efforts are judged by the benefit of the people," said Li Chunguang, an associate professor at the Law School of Southwest Forestry University.

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