Property conundrum to test government's resolve(2)

Also at the session, the Jiu San Society, a non-Communist political party with more than 132,000 members, submitted a proposal on toughening housing market regulation.

"If the government fails to stay on top of the changing supply-demand situations and vacancy rates, it will be difficult to accurately squeeze out speculative demand and effectively macro-manage the housing market," reads the proposal.

Formally founded in Chongqing on May 4, 1946, the Jiu San Society largely consists of senior and leading intellectuals in the fields of science and technology.

"Without a nationally-connected and transparent housing information system, curbing housing speculation and broadening the property tax will be empty talk," said Guo Yue, the head of the administration and discussion of state affairs department of the Jiu San Society.

CPPCC National Committee member Jia Kang, director of the Institute for Fiscal Science Research under the Ministry of Finance, dismissed notions that technical barriers having hindered the construction of such an information system.

"The real obstacles come from government departments and local governments that intend to use isolated systems to protect regional interests. China's pending reform measures will break down such obstacles put up by those with vested interests," said Jia.

SATISFACTORY HOUSING FOR THE PEOPLE

On Tuesday morning, Premier Wen said the Chinese government will tighten real estate market regulation and continue to build and manage government-subsidized housing, guaranteeing satisfactory housing for the people.

This year, 4.7 million government-subsidized urban housing units will be basically completed, the construction of another 6.3 million units will begin and the renovation of dilapidated rural homes will continue, he said.

Over the past five years, more than 18 million various types of government-subsidized housing units have been built, and over 12 million housing units in run-down areas have been upgraded, according to the report Wen delivered on Tuesday.

In a separate report issued by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country's top economic planner, non-governmental capital will be encouraged to participate in the construction of government-subsidized housing this year.

The NDRC says its macro-management work aims to increase land supplies for housing construction, provide more ordinary small and medium-sized condominiums, continue to implement differentiated housing credits and tax policies and limit home purchases to rein in speculative and investment-driven housing demand.

With a new Cabinet set to be formed at the legislative session that closes on March 17, legislators and political advisors say the country's housing macro-management maneuvers will become more clear.

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Special report: Exploring the 2013 NPC & CPPCC sessions