Yang Wu may have the attention of all China focused on his battle with the might of the state, but his wife is getting worried.

It is several days since Wu Ping had contact with her husband, who is holed up in their home atop a pinnacle of land carved into an island by property developers digging out the foundations for a new complex. “I don’t know anything about his physical condition because no one can climb up to the house now,” she told The Times. “It is too dangerous and so I’m worrying about him.”

Mr Yang has been holding out for a week in his “nail house” — a play on a phrase for troublemakers who stick up like nails and refuse to go along with government orders.

Under the eyes of the nation, the 51-year-old martial arts expert is battling to protect his rights against demands of property developers who have been trying to raze his block in the southwestern city of Chongqing since 2004. He and his wife have refused to follow the other 280 residents who moved out in exchange for compensation or a flat in the new development.

Mrs Wu says that the couple have the law on their side, particularly since Communist China’s first property law was passed this month, although it does not take effect until October.

Mr Yang scrambled up the near-vertical cliff to his home last Thursday, the day before a government deadline to vacate the property expired. Using ropes, he hauled up supplies of water and gas bottles to sustain him during the siege. He planted a national flag on the roof and hung out a hand-written banner: “A citizen’s legal property is not to be violated.”

The couple have been offered about £135,000 in compensation, or two higher floors of the new building. They have turned down both because they want a lower storey so that Mrs Wu can run her restaurant.

Ms Wu said: “I have no other request but to give me a house similar in area and position to the current one.”

Wang Hongju, the Mayor of Chongqing, has said that the Government would try to solve the stand-off but would not tolerate an exorbitant price or unreasonable demands. Yesterday local officials gave Mr Yang one more day to leave the property or face demolition.

The Chinese media has waded into the debate. The China Youth Dailycommented: “If the Government does not respect people’s rights in this case, it will raise suspicions about the entanglement of civil rights, property development and government interests.”

Making a stand

London: Locals occupied Francesca’s Café in Hackney in 2005 to prevent its demolition and “aggressive gentrification”. They were evicted in February 2006.

Glasgow: Campaigners locked themselves inside Govanhill public pool for five months in 2001 in protest against its closure

Washington: Deaf protestors occupied Gallaudet University in a fight over its president in October 2006.

Bishkek: Supporters of an opposition candidate in Kyrgyzstan took over an administration office in 2005, demanding that he be able to run in parliamentary elections

Source: Times Archives

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