The Guangzhou city bureau of urban management (Chengguan) has received criticism from local residents after it admitted to spending more than 1.14 million yuan ($180,665) on overseas tours in 2010.

In a 504-character letter in response to questions from local residents, Chengguan said the bureau sent 20 people overseas in 2010 to study urban management.

“The move aimed to further raise the city’s standard on urban management to improve Guangzhou’s reputation at home and abroad when the southern metropolis organized the 2010 Asian Games,” read the letter, which was published on the bureau’s official website on Thursday.

The foreign destinations included Japan, Russia, the United States, Singapore, Britain, Canada, East Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Macao special administrative region, according to the letter.

Many local residents accused Chengguan of wasting taxpayers’ money on overseas tours.

Chen Junhong , a Guangzhou office worker, said the Chengguan department should explain why they spent such a large sum of money on overseas tours.

“Guangzhou is now trying to make its government operation transparent, and thus local residents have the right to know how public funds are being used by relevant departments. And in Chengguan’s overseas tours, residents want to know whether there is any corruption,” he said.