THE PROCESS OF COMMERCIALIZATION OF URBAN HOUSING IN CHINA

The role of the state in housing has been the subject of controversial debate recently in China. More and more decision-makers consider that the supply of housing should be left to market forces of demand and s upply. Various new policies have been introduced from as early as 1979 , designed to commercialise and reform the public-sector-dominated hou sing system. This paper provides a review of housing reforms and a sys tematic account of the key features of the commercialisation process. It focuses principally on the attempts to privatise public-sector hous ing in urban areas in the context of the major characteristics and pro blems of the urban housing system, the development of reform policies and legislation and current reform practice.