By Li Qian

Li Tianlong, Sun Yingui's neighbor, complained the extension project on Sun's house takes over public space. Photo: CFP

A luxury villa belonging to Beijing mogul Sun Yingui has become the latest target of chengguan officers in Haidian district, who said they have been authorized to tear down an illegal extension to the house. 
 
Chengguan, urban inspectors in charge of maintaining the profile of the city, have been issued with a "forced demolition permit" by the Haidian district government and will carry out the order in a few days.

Despite warnings from the authorities, the billionaire claimed he would not succumb to pressure and continued with construction Thursday.

Sun Yingui began the extension project in July on the mountain villa in Shangzhuang township. Sun's next-door neighbor Li Tianlong complained to the property managers and the local government that the construction is taking over the public space between their homes.

"His [Sun's] wall used to be 10 meters away from my home, but now the distance is only three meters," Li told the Global Times. "They dug out the fence between us and changed the layout of the water pipes."

Li said his men encountered physical confrontation when they tried to stop the construction and Sun largely ignored his protests.

Local chengguan officers said that any extension or reconstruction must have a permit from the construction and urban planning committees before the construction begins, and confirmed that the extension to Sun's house was illegal.

Chengguan officers inspected the villa Wednesday, according to Li, and told him that the forced demolition would be a tough task as the underground part of the extension had been finished, and that Sun would have to cover the costs of the demolition.

Sun, who now heads a large construction materials corporation, however, argued that many people are building extensions on their houses in the area, and he will sue the government for nonfeasance if his extension is the only one being demolished.