Prof Chen Junhua, an associate professor from Department of Urban and Real Estate Management as well as Vice Dean of MS&E, was invited to the television interview program --- the People’s Lives in the Eyes of the 19^th National Congress of CPC by CETV (China Education Network Television) on 23 October, 2017. He mainly talked about the issue as is cited in Xi’s report, “We should strengthen the social security system and meet the housing needs of all the people.” The interview was broadcast on E-sight, one of CETV’s news programs.

    Xi’s report on the 19^th National Congress again stressed the issue of “strengthening the social security system”, stating: “We must not forget that housing is for living in, not for speculation. With this in mind, we will move faster to put in place a housing system that ensures supply through multiple channels, and encourage both housing purchase and renting. This will make us better placed to meet the housing needs of all of our people.” This part of his speech won the warmest applauses for more than fifteen seconds and frequently appeared on social medias, provoking a common social attention and discussion. Will the speech restore people’s confidence about a stable development of real estate market? How does the speech differ from that in the 18^th National Congress in terms of housing? How to speed up strengthening the housing security system? The moderator interviewed Prof. Chen Junhua and CCTV commentator Zhang Bin on live.

      The professor believes that the Central Committee has always been resolved to the housing of people since the 18^th National Congress. Xi’s report this year again emphasizes that the social security system needs strengthening, and the President also explicitly proposed a systematic guiding ideology and a complete policy framework, marking a new stage of the construction of China’s housing system, as he added. On one hand, the report declared war against housing speculation; on the other hand, it affirmed the inelastic housing demand of new urban residents and proposed a housing system encouraging both purchase and renting, which will powerfully secure a healthy and stable development of the real estate market in China. In terms of the housing policy proposed in this report and the last one, Prof. Chen commented that the report this year is more precise and systematic. As he summarized, the report confirmed four aspects: the major contradiction of the current housing issue in China, the major direction of housing system development in China, the basic starting point of future efforts on housing, and the major mission of supply-sided reform in housing. As for how to speed up strengthening the housing security system, he added two solutions. One is to continue refurbishment and renovation of urban rundown areas, villages in city and old city districts; and the other is to meet the basic housing need of new urban residents through multiple channels, improve the deficient policy of house renting, as well as call for a house consuming pattern that accords with the national situation.