Probably the world’s biggest government building
If I tell you that China has probably the world’s biggest government building, you would think that it must be in big cities like Shanghai or Beijing. Wrong. It is in Jinan, the capital city of Shandong province in eastern China.
According to local newspaper reports, the building occupies an area of 240,000 square meters, and has 15 floors, 400 elevators and 45,000 computer ports. It will host 49 government departments. The construction project is said to cost up to 4 billion RMB.
In fact, luxury government buildings like Jinan’s are everywhere in China, even in poor areas. In Puyang County, Hunan Province, which is rated as a poor county in need of special help from the provincial government, the local government has built a luxury government building in the style of Beijing’s Tiananmen. Look at the photo and you won’t believe it!
Why do the local governments build grand and luxury offices like crazy? There are a few obvious reasons. Firstly, it is in the interest of the government officials to work in a grand and comfortable office, isn’t it? Secondly, since the construction project inevitably involves huge sums of money, it gives rise to a whole range of chances for corruption and embezzlement - time to pocket the public money. Thirdly, a grand office represents achievement and calls for public respect, something that the officials desperately want.
How corrupt is China? Look again at the photos of the grand office buildings and you will understand.