Tragic Crash on Meida Expressway in Guangdong: 48 Dead, 30 Injured – Investigation into Responsibility and Cause

[The Epoch Times, 05 Cèitean, 2024](Epoch Times reporter Fang Xiao said) A massive landslide on the Meizhou-Dalian Expressway in Guangdong claimed at least 48 lives and injured 30 people was a serious accident. All parties are concerned with the cause of the accident and who should bear the relevant responsibilities. The state-owned Guangdong Provincial Transport Corporation has emerged as one of the managers of the Meizhou-Dalian Expressway. Its director who is about to retire may be in big trouble.

Around two o’clock in the morning on May 1, the number of victims kept rising, from 1 at the beginning to 19, then to 24, then to 36, and to the current official notification of 48. 30 people were injury (Previous reports:Members of the media expressed sadness and anger at the collapse of the Guangdong highway)

According to the relevant laws and regulations of the Chinese Communist Party, an accident that causes the death of more than 30 people is considered a major accident.

The 48 people killed are only the confirmed number, and some are still missing. Therefore, netizens questioned that more people could have been killed. (Recommended reading:Many people who witnessed the Mei-Da Expressway landslide remember the exciting moment)

Jemian News reported that the road section where the accident occurred was less than ten years old, and both the builder and the operator of the project were companies under the Guangdong Provincial Communications Corporation.

Meida Expressway’s operating and management group is Guangdong Dachao Expressway Co., Ltd. (referred to as “Guangdong Dachao Expressway”). Guangdong Dachao Expressway mentioned many times in articles published on its official public account “Dachao Expressway” that the company is responsible for the operation services of Meizhou-Dachao Expressway.

According to reports, before the accident (April 24), Cai Conghua (Deng Xiaohua), Party Secretary and Chairman of Guangdong Communications Industrial Investment Co., Ltd. Expressway, lead a team to Guangdong Dachao Expressway conducting research and guidance.

Tianyancha APP shows that Guangdong Dachao Expressway was established in 2016 with a registered capital of 30 million yuan and its legal representative is Deng Bin. In 2022, many new lawsuits were filed on Guangdong Dachao Expressway. In total, 33.3% of the cases were related to Dabu County Youyi Sand and Gravel Co., Ltd. and were involved in disputes over sales contracts.

It is worth noting that Guangdong Boda Expressway, Guangdong Road and Bridge Construction, Guangdong Highway Construction, Guangdong Dachao Expressway and Guangdong Communications Investment are all members of the Guangdong Provincial State Enterprise Guangdong Provincial Communications Group.

Public information shows that Guangdong Provincial Communications Group is a large state-owned enterprise authorized operation It was established on June 28, 2000. It is headquartered in Guangzhou and has a registered capital of 26.8 billion yuan provincial jurisdiction, unified management built and operated.

At present, Guangdong Provincial Communications Group has 16 fully owned, held and managed companies, including 2 listed companies.[粤高速（A+B）、粤运交通（H）], 4 companies in Hong Kong and Macao, the total number of companies within the scope of the consolidated statement is 173, with a total number of about 62,000 employees. At the end of 2022, the group’s total assets under management were about 740.4 billion yuan, and its comprehensive strength was among the top 50 enterprises in Guangdong and the top 500 enterprises in China.

Guangdong Provincial Communications Group’s 2023 financial statements show that the company achieved revenue of 56.747 billion yuan in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 13.44%; net profit was 2.029 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 22.38%.

The above reports have raised public concerns, and they believe that a series of related management levels may be inseparable and must bear the responsibility.

An investigation by an Epoch Times reporter found that when the media previously reported news related to the Guangdong Provincial Congress Group, some of the reports listed its director’s name as Cai Conghua, and the most of the reports name him as Deng Xiaohua. And some relevant reports were removed from the shelves.

Public information on Baidu Encyclopedia shows that Deng Xiaohua was born in August 1964 and is a member of the Chinese Communist Party. Currently, he is the chairman of Guangdong Provincial Communications Group Co., Ltd., secretary of the party committee, and deputy director of the Science, Education, Health and Sports Committee of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the People’s Political Consultative Conference China.

His resume shows that he has been an engineer at Guangshen Expressway Co., Ltd., assistant general manager, chief engineer, deputy general manager and general manager of Guangdong Provincial Highway Construction Co., Ltd., director of the Infrastructure Management Department of Guangdong Provincial Communications Group Co., Ltd., and director of Guangdong Communications Group Co., Ltd., deputy general manager, general manager, deputy secretary of the party committee.

In October 2016, he was the Chairman of Guangdong Communications Group Co., Ltd. In January 2023, he was the deputy director of the Science, Education, Health and Sports Committee of Guangdong Province CPPCC. Member of the 13th Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CPPCC.

Public information shows that the Meizhou-Dalian Expressway has a total length of 61.3 kilometers and is built using a four-lane two-lane standard with a design speed of 100 kilometers per hour. The proportion of bridges and tunnels on the Meizhou-Dalian Expressway reached 51%, which was the highest among mountainous roads in Guangdong Province at that time, high-risk situations such as roof collapse, landslides occurred and water leaks many times.

The participants in a highway project mainly include construction, design, construction, management, operation and other related units.

Many netizens said that Guangdong Communications Group Co., Ltd., as the highway manager, must have an unavoidable responsibility. Deng Xiaohua, who is still three months away from his retirement, may not be able to resign without suffocation. At the same time, the local departments are also involved and must find out if there are quality problems or dereliction of duty.

Netizens also loudly called for a thorough investigation to get to the bottom of everything. Only by knowing the true cause will these unfortunate victims rest in peace, and their souls in heaven will find some comfort. At the same time, it is also necessary to explain to the living family and friends.

Editor-in-Chief: Sun Yun #