A skyscraper in south-west China that boasts what its owner calls the world's largest man-made waterfall has become the latest example of over-the-top architecture to draw national ridicule.

The tower in the city of Guiyang in Guizhou province was built with a spectacular 108m cascade tumbling down its face, reported Agence France-Presse.

Although the Liebian International Building is not yet finished, the water feature was completed two years ago. However, it has been turned on only six times, with the building's owners blaming the high cost - 800 yuan (S$160) per hour - of pumping water to the top of the 121m-high structure.

The owners say the feature pays homage to the local region's rugged nature, but Chinese netizens have mocked the project as a waste of money.

China's rapid economic growth has been accompanied by a construction boom, often including outlandish buildings that are criticised as a waste of funds.