Village protesters defeat Beijing

Villagers who waged a battle with the Chinese government over a planned land grab claimed victory today.

Supplies to Wukan had been cut off and protest leaders jailed, while police clashed with residents angry that farmland in their wealthy southern province was set to be sold to developers.

But the Beijing government now says at least "some" of the land will not be sold. And four arrested villagers will be freed within days, Deputy Communist Party secretary Zhu Mingguo told protest leader Yang Semao today. "We are cautiously optimistic," said Yang.

Wukan, with a population of nearly 20,000, has seen months of protests by villagers who say the local authority sold farmland to developers without their consent.

They drove out officials and police after some protesters were detained. Anger grew after one arrested man died in police custody, amid claims he was beaten. Authorities say he died of cardiac failure.

But in a further sign that tensions are easing, police withdrew from road checkpoints they had set up - while villagers removed tree trunks that they had used to block the road.

Their victory is likely to inspire other disgruntled groups to take on the authorities. In the nearby town of Haimen, a large group of protesters opposing the construction of a coal-fired power station blocked a highway and set fire to trees on both sides of the road today. Riot squads, paramilitary police and firefighters were sent in to break up the protest.

Conflicts over land disputes and other issues in much of Guangdong province have been intense because the area is among China's most economically developed, with rising land prices.