Dubai, A 5-Star University Hotel; Who Gets The Profit?

Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/cnforbiddennews Like us on FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/chinaforbiddennews There's recent controversy over a luxurious hotel project at Kunming University of Science and Technology (KUST). University officials claimed the high-end hotel is for foreign visitors. If it is too shabby, Chinese people will lose face. Some netizens questioned: "The University and its land belong to the country. But the key problem is how the hotel is run and who gets the profit." There is a 5-star Wenhui Hotel in KUST. The rate per night ranges from RMB 400 to 2000. Chengdu Evening Post's reported on February 1. "Wenhui Hotel" is also known as "KUST International Academic Communication Center." It is a 5-star hotel designed for business and conferences on campus. It has a luxurious western dining hall, a banquet hall and private dining rooms. It reports university's officials said, "As an international academic communication center, Wenhui Hotel is a must. It is used to accommodate foreign government officials, famous experts, scholars and long-term foreign students. If we offer something shabby to foreign visitors, Chinese people lose face." A student then questioned: Our dorms are really shabby, "why do they not fix them first?" Another student from KUST said, "half of the students in the old campus are still living in old-fashioned octet rooms. They only have one table, bunk beds, one pool house and restroom per floor." Sun Wenguang, a retired professor from Shandong University said that college education should have a different focus. Education concepts need updating, teachers need training, and educational spirit needs developing. However, KUST is focused on image projects. Sun Wenguang: "It is a big joke internationally that a University like KUST can build a 5-star hotel. Universities should focus on academia. How can an academic institute have such a luxurous hotel? However, these luxurious hotels are a common thing also in other Universities." Sun Wenguang believes that this phenomenon is connected to "corruption." Sun Wenguang said: "There are several reasons. On one hand, a college has extra land and builds a big hotel. Actually, it can also be used to accommodate university officials and their guests. On the other, the income of the hotel can be another kind of semi-overt income." Some netizens satirized the phenomenon. "Not to lose the face of Chinese, corrupt officials eat and drink fine food and live in luxurious houses." Li Yuchang, a former teacher from the High School Attached to Shandong University commented. "It is quite obvious why these universities need 5-star hotels. For one thing, those who visit the hotel are connected to the University somehow, for academia or conferences. Their expense will be reimbursed later. As for the university, the more luxurious the hotel they build, the more money they will make. Isn't it profitable?" But in reality, is "Wenhui Hotel" for academic reasons or for profit? On Wenhui Hotel's website, it says: "Wenhui Hotel," since its commencement, has become the best choice for tourists. That means everyone can easily reserve rooms online. Some netizens questioned: "whom does the hotel income flow to?" NTD reporters Zhu Shanzhi, Huang Rong and Sun Ning 《神韵》2011世界巡演新亮点 http://www.ShenYunPerformingArts.org/