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| Front-End Loaders in China Wage Heavy-Duty Combat Over Building Projects | Front-End Loaders in China Wage Heavy-Duty Combat Over Building Projects |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| HONG KONG — At first, the collision of the two front-end loaders on the dusty street in northern China seems like it could be a work-site accident. Then, as one witness murmurs in disbelief, the violent intent becomes clear. With their buckets held high like the horns of battling beetles, the two machines repeatedly slam into each other. Another joins the fray, toppling one of the first combatants. Yet another arrives, trying to right its fallen comrade. And then even more arrive to do battle. | HONG KONG — At first, the collision of the two front-end loaders on the dusty street in northern China seems like it could be a work-site accident. Then, as one witness murmurs in disbelief, the violent intent becomes clear. With their buckets held high like the horns of battling beetles, the two machines repeatedly slam into each other. Another joins the fray, toppling one of the first combatants. Yet another arrives, trying to right its fallen comrade. And then even more arrive to do battle. |
| Some participants in the Sunday street battle in Xingtang County, in the Hebei provincial capital of Shijiazhuang, carried knives and pellet guns, according to one report. But the most surprising weapon was the construction equipment. At least two people filmed the clash with cellphones, and the video was widely viewed on Chinese websites on Monday. | Some participants in the Sunday street battle in Xingtang County, in the Hebei provincial capital of Shijiazhuang, carried knives and pellet guns, according to one report. But the most surprising weapon was the construction equipment. At least two people filmed the clash with cellphones, and the video was widely viewed on Chinese websites on Monday. |
| Some commenters on Weibo, the Chinese microblogging platform, called it a clash of homegrown Transformers. The actual explanation is far more prosaic. A dispute between two concrete plants escalated to the front-end loader fight, according a statement from the Xingtang County propaganda office. | Some commenters on Weibo, the Chinese microblogging platform, called it a clash of homegrown Transformers. The actual explanation is far more prosaic. A dispute between two concrete plants escalated to the front-end loader fight, according a statement from the Xingtang County propaganda office. |
| Workers in front-end loaders and sport utility vehicles from one company, the Jianwen Concrete Plant, had shown up at the Xinghua Concrete Plant intending to take over the work on a new development project, one Xinghua worker told Beijing Youth Daily. | Workers in front-end loaders and sport utility vehicles from one company, the Jianwen Concrete Plant, had shown up at the Xinghua Concrete Plant intending to take over the work on a new development project, one Xinghua worker told Beijing Youth Daily. |
| Two Xinghua employees were injured, including one driver who was in serious condition after being shot in the chest with a pellet gun, the local propaganda office said. Six front-end loaders were damaged and two were toppled in the street, the government statement said. The case is still under investigation, it said on Monday, and no arrests have been announced. | |
| Violence has flared before over construction projects in China, but almost always the disputes were between residents and builders who want to redevelop their property. Land sales are key revenue stream for local governments, which has fueled such conflicts. Residents often accuse local officials of colluding with developers to drive them out of their homes at compensation far below the actual value of the land. | Violence has flared before over construction projects in China, but almost always the disputes were between residents and builders who want to redevelop their property. Land sales are key revenue stream for local governments, which has fueled such conflicts. Residents often accuse local officials of colluding with developers to drive them out of their homes at compensation far below the actual value of the land. |
| Clashes among builders and related companies themselves are far less common. The dispute on the Xingtang County street raised questions that China’s slowing growth may be putting intense pressure on the construction industry in some parts of the country,leading at least these two companies to take their fight to the street. |