MNI China Press Digest, March 12: Sino-U.S., Housing Market

     BEIJING (MNI) - The following lists highlights from Chinese press reports

on Tuesday:

     China's Vice Premier and top trade negotiator Liu He telephoned U.S. Trade

Representative Robert Lighthizer and the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steven

Mnuchin today discussing "crucial issues on the text" and made arrangements for

the next step, Xinhua News Agency reported.

     The sales and prices of both new and used residential housings nationwide

are unlikely to increase amid targeted controls by local governments, even as

some cities saw small-scale recoveries, said the Economic Information Daily

today citing analysts. The housing market is likely to be stable without sharp

gains or drops after declining in the first two months, the newspaper reported.

     Banks in several cities including Shenzhen and Hangzhou continue to lower

mortgage loan rates, some to 5% above the benchmark lending rate, drive by the

abundant liquidity in the market, said 21st Century Business Herald today.

Mortgage loans will grow faster this year to support first-time buyers, the

newspaper said citing market participants.

--MNI Beijing Bureau; +86 (10) 8532-5998; email: wanxia.lin@marketnews.com

--MNI Beijing Bureau; +86 10 8532 5998; email: william.bi@mni-news.com

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