GUANGZHOU: A township government in the southern province of Guangdong has illegally claimed a large area of farmland for real estate development, local media reported yesterday.

Villagers in Li'an village of Tangtang township in Fogang county launched a protest against a local real estate developer when it began construction of the project last month, according to Guangzhou-based Nanfang Rural News.

The township government had allegedly requisitioned up to 260 hectares of farmland from local villagers four years ago and construction started in August this year.