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Talk on house prices absurd

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-01-16 07:40

Property developer Ren Zhiqiang's latest sensational comment on the housing market further sharpens the divide between the rich and the poor, says an article in China Youth Daily. The following is an excerpt:

Ren Zhiqiang, the famed real estate mogul, said recently at the second session of the 11th Beijing CPPCC that housing prices are like a threshold that can check the growth of population and ensure the quality of residents. Ren also criticized the over-development of low-price housing for low-income earners by the government, saying that these houses occupy huge amounts of land resources and shrink the scope for property investment.

In the eyes of the public, Ren always stands on the side of the wealthy people. Let's look at the logic of Ren's latest remark. According to Ren, if housing prices are high enough, commoners would abandon their hopes of moving into metropolitan cities like Beijing since they can't afford houses there; those who can afford expensive houses are regarded by Ren as people of quality, which presumes that money equals quality.

Ren's comment thoroughly revealed his discrimination against common people, including both the poor and the ordinary wageearners. This will obviously intensify the conflict between the rich and the commoners.

(China Daily 01/16/2009 page8)