Wen pledges property tightening resolve
2011-November-8 08:53 Shenzhen Daily
THE government must resolutely carry out its property tightening measures with the aim of returning prices to “reasonable levels,” Premier Wen Jiabao said in a speech broadcast yesterday.
Wen’s remarks, delivered in Russia on Sunday and shown the next day on Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV, are a reminder that the government is not letting fears of hurting economic growth cause it to loosen its grip on the sector. A southern Chinese city last week implemented what appears to be the country’s most extreme property tightening measure.
Lowering property prices is the government’s firm policy, Wen told an audience of Chinese diplomats and businesspeople during his visit to Russia.
“I will especially stress that there will not be the slightest wavering in China’s property tightening measures —
our target is for prices to return to reasonable levels,” Wen said. “The property tightening measures have been ongoing for two years, and some major policies have already been rolled out, especially this year’s construction of 10 million public housing units, which will temper pressure on prices, and slow demand (for private housing).”
There are growing signs that China’s property market could be nearing a turning point. Housing sales in major cities have declined in recent months, nearly two years after speculation curbing measures including higher interest rates and down payments. The government’s effort to make homes more affordable is meant to head off potential social instability.
Housing prices are also starting to fall in some cities as credit curbs and limits on home purchases start to bite, tightening developers’ cash flows.
“Housing prices are still in a deadlock, although in the past month we’ve started to see some shakeup in prices,” Wen said.
Property sales at Shenzhen-based China Vanke Co., the nation’s biggest developer by market share, were down in October from a year earlier for the third straight month of decline. October’s drop was the steepest yet — 33 percent, to 10.34 billion yuan (US$1.63 billion). It followed declines of 12 percent in September and 13 percent in August.
Wen reiterated that the government will make homes more affordable to the population and promote stable and healthy development in the housing sector.
Last week, the city of Zhuhai in southern China implemented extraordinary restrictions on residential real estate deals, including a price cap of 11,285 yuan a square meter, triggering concerns of similar curbs in other cities. (SD-Agencies)
Wen pledges property tightening resolve