China is undergoing an architectural revolution

The local authorities rejected a plan for the tower which would have reached the height of 580-600m (1,914-1,980 feet), state media reports.

Instead, Guangzhou will construct a building 400m high - which will fall 20m short of Shanghai's Jinmao tower - currently China's highest building.

The tallest building in the world at present is the CN Tower in Toronto.

"The design requires the building to reach a height of 400m, 200m lower", the director of Guangdong province's urban planning department, Pan An, was quoted by the China Daily newspaper as saying.

Ye Ronggui, professor of architecture at the South China University told the publication the new design would fit in more with the surrounding architecture.

The new tower would also be cheaper to build and would better be able to resist typhoons and storms, he said.