Housing issue attracts comment

Faced with problems in urban housing, the government announced measures in April aimed at stemming speculation, which had long been at dangerous levels. Much of this took effect on 1 June, and the results are still coming in. Critical intellectuals of different camps have been weighing in to the discussion. It's a tough area, with market efficiency and social justice issues intersecting at higher than usual velocities.

Wang Yi, legal scholar and internet publisher in Chengdu, Sichuan writes on "Private property right and democratic transformation of the '70 year deadline'," (dated 3 June 2005).

王怡："私有产权和民主转型的”70大限”.
Wang is favours privatisation of property rights (of which, he says, rights to one's house are basic) on classical liberal grounds. He discusses the current dispensation which maintains ultimate state ownership but seeks to consolidate individual rights around long, renewable 70 year leases.

Yang Fan, a Beijing economist with New Left and nationalist credentials, gives a powerful interview under the title of "The real estate bubble must be contained" (26 May 2005):

杨帆："必须遏制房地产泡沫"