CHONGQING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Lack of investment led to the demolishment of a half-built tower in a southwest China scenic spot, a local official said Tuesday.

    The 30-meter-high Three Gorges Mingzhu Tower, in the Daijiayan scenic area of Chongqing's Wanzhou district, was blasted Monday.

    Chen Huigang, a Wanzhou publicity official, said the project began construction in March 2004 at the investment of the Longbao administrative commission in the district. It had a designed height of 135 meters at an estimated cost of 35 million yuan (5.1 million U.S. dollars).

    But the construction was suspended in April 2005 after the commission was cancelled in an administrative system adjustment.

    The project still needed at least 20 million yuan to be completed but there was no investor willing to fund its further construction, said Chen. The district then decided to destroy it.