Steady progress seen on housing solution

Development of a long-term solution to the country's housing difficulties is expected to advance substantially in 2018, with long-term leasing one of its highlights, industry experts said.

The solution, which aims to ensure supply through multiple sources to meet demand, is thought to include a long-term leasing mechanism, shared ownership and property tax.

The essence of such a solution is to ensure that houses are used as primary residences rather than for speculative profit, according to Qin Hong, head of a research center under the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.