Government officials in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province said Friday that they are unclear about the circumstances surrounding the demolition of a controversial urban landmark.

An ornamental column, known in China as a huabiao, built under the rule of disgraced former official Bo Xilai was pulled down at around 0:30 am on Friday along with the temporary sheds established for this year's China International Beer Festival, which was held on Xinghai Square of Dalian from July 21 to August 1, the Beijing News reported. Huabiao were traditionally used to decorate tombs and other important sites.

An official from Dalian's Shahekou district government, which includes Xinghai Square, said that they have no idea about the details of the removal when contacted by the Global Times on Friday.

Another official from Dalian's urban construction bureau told the Global Times that the demolition work was not launched or implemented by the bureau.

The Dalian city government and the city's information office could not be reached for comment as of press time.

The column was built when Bo Xilai, later a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, was mayor of Dalian from 1993 to 1999. It was a well-known landmark in the coastal city.

The huabiao, located at the center of the square, was built during a government project that reconstructed an abandoned landfill site into the Xinghai Square. The project started in July 1993 and was completed in June 1997, the Beijing News reported.

Bo initiated several projects to remake Dalian. But the projects, including the transformation of Xinghai Square, caused controversy, according to the Beijing News report.

The report added that several projects were contacted to Dalian Shide Group. Xu Ming, the former chairman of the company, was found to have offered a large sum of money and property to Bo.

Bo was sentenced to life imprisonment in September 2013 for accepting bribes.