CRI Voices:當高爾夫球的熱潮來臨時 (2)

Official data also indicates that Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Shandong and Hainan are the top five golf destinations, containing 90 per cent of the country's golf courses. However, according to the People's Daily newspaper, only about 10 of these courses have received all the necessary permissions. Legal experts say most of these golf courses were developed under the disguise of being eco-tourism projects or property development to circumvent the ban. Some courses are euphemistically called sports or leisure clubs. Li Jianqin, an official with the Ministry of Land and Resources, says local governments are to blame because of their tacit encouragement for such projects. "Golf courses are often built to support high-end residential communities. Some local governments think such projects will help push urbanization forward and boost tourism. Besides, local governments and enterprises have deliberately misinterpreted the policies, thus building the courses illegally." Li Jianqian says the development of golf industry is often seen as a way to push up GDP, which constitutes a crucial part in the current assessment system for Chinese officials. Accroding to Li,the rampent construction of golf courses has also send an alarming bell to the central government.Last year,11 Chinese Ministries collectly order the mew checks of all golf courses to ensure no loss of farm land. Meanwhile,the Ministriy of Land and Resources has pledged to rule out regulations by working with other government departments.