BEIJING -- The Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in western Beijing incurred a fine of 100,000 yuan (about $14,300) for its failure to cooperate with law enforcer's investigation.
The penalty came after security personnel at the guesthouse's gate refused to let in judiciary staff en route to enforce a court order on a company, which rented houses owned by the guesthouse and failed to carry out an earlier court decision, the China News Service (CNS) reported on Saturday.
Judiciary staff from the Beijing Dongcheng District People's Court were reported on Thursday to have shown certificates to prove their identity and a man in his 40s dragged them out of the reception office, a worker, who only gave his surname as Wang, from the court said.
Court personnel also asked people in the reception office to deliver the court order to the company concerned but the paper was soon thrown out of the office, CNS said.
An anonymous worker in the reception office of the guesthouse had previously confirmed the judiciary staff were not allowed to enter the place, and claimed that the entry of any car or people should be pre-approved by the department of security.
The judiciary staff with Dongcheng Court did not give the relevant departments any notice, he said.
As Xinhua called the reception office on Saturday, a man who refused to give his name said he did not know about the case and asked reporters to get information from his superior. His superior's phone remained unanswered.
However, Wang from the court of Dongcheng District said it was true and his superior, who was involved in the case, could prove it. His superior remained out of touch as he was not on duty on Saturday.
According to the Chinese law, parties who failed to fulfil their duties in accordance with the law could face a fine ranging from 10,000 yuan to 300,000 yuan.
Diaoyutai, which literally translates as "Angling Terrace", was built over 800 years ago in Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) and was the vacation home of the emperors in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
Since 1959, the guesthouse had turned into a place for Chinese leaders to carry out important diplomatic activities including meeting foreign leaders and celebrities.
