A special audit on development and construction of "college city" projects reveals that rule-bending project approval and illicit taking of land practices are obvious in the four cities of Nanjing, Hangzhou, Zhuhai and Langfang.

For example, the "Dongfang college city" in Langfang City, Hebei Province, had devoured 6,007 mu (about 400 ha) of land, of which 5,728 mu (382 ha) are arable land, during 2001-2002, by signing illicit contracts with local city or village governments to build five golf courses, which seriously violates national laws and policies, according to a report by Li Jinhua, auditor-general of the National Audit Office of China.

In Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, bank loans for construction purpose for projects in 12 colleges reached2.728 billion yuan (about 330 million US dollars), or 71 percent of the capital available for the colleges.

But judging from the colleges' current income level, the repayment of the principal and interest of the loans would taking 40 to 80 percent of the schools' yearly income, said Li.

(Xinhua News Agency July 1, 2004)