Beijing-based freelance journalist Song Yangbiao 'disappears' after his post on illegally built villas in Chengdu

A China-based independent journalist Song Yangbiao went missing after he posted about illegally built villas in the Sansheng Huaxiang scenic spot in Jinjiang District, Chengdu.

As per Chinese social media, he disappeared on January 20 while boarding a plane in Chengdu.

On January 17, Song posted on his personal WeChat account about illegally built villas. He said that most of these illegally built villas are commercial houses built directly by the owners of private enterprises on farmers' arable land.

He also said that not only have they not obtained land use certificates and construction permits, but also posed a huge threat to the environmental safety of the scenic area.

Because of the construction of these illegal villas, since 2019, the local area has cut down a large number of primitive forest areas, destroying many ancient trees, Chinese social media reported.

Meanwhile, on the morning of January 19, the article was deemed by the public account platform to be "illegal news" and deleted, and Song Yangbiao subsequently disappeared.

Song was arrested and detained in 2013 also for pro-Bo Xilai and anti-Xi Jinping comments made on his Weibo page.

Bo Xilai, the former Communist Party chief in Chongqing, was once seen as a high-flyer tipped for the top office. But he was expelled from the Communist Party convicted on bribery and embezzlement charges.

( With inputs from ANI )

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