Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Monday the Chinese government
will work to control the overheated property sector and keep
housing price at a reasonable level.
"The real estate industry should focus on developing reasonably
priced commercial housing for ordinary people," Wen said in a
report on the work of the government at the opening meeting of the
annual session of the National People's Congress, or
parliament.
"We will improve the supply structure of commercial housing, and
strengthen oversight and regulation of housing prices," he
said.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the average
price of newly-built commercial residential buildings in 70 big and
medium-sized cities nationwide rose 6.1 percent year on year in
January, with that in Beijing climbing 9.9 percent.
The Ministry of Construction stipulated last year that the floor
area of 70 percent of newly-built commercial residential flats
should below 90 square meters each in a bid to ensure more
affordable housing for average citizens.
Wen said the government will pay particular attention to
addressing the housing problems of low-income families. "We will
increase fiscal and tax policy support and set up a sound system of
low-rent housing," he said.
He noted that China will strengthen oversight over the real
estate sector and crack down on law-violating activities in the
property development and sales.
"Local governments must assume their full share of
responsibility for the regulation and oversight of local property
markets," Wen said.
The premier also said the government will keep consumption at an
appropriate level and build environmentally friendly buildings as
the country has a large population and relatively little land
available for housing building.
(Xinhua News Agency March 5, 2007)
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