Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has called for efforts to limit property speculation as the country's housing market shows signs of a rebound.
China has implemented several measures aimed at curbing runaway property prices for more than a year, including bans on buying second homes, hiking minimum down-payments and introducing property taxes in certain cities.
But lower mortgage rates following two interest rate cuts in less than a month and local governments testing the limits of the policy have caused property sales to pick up in some cities, analysts say.
"We must continue to firmly control speculative investment," Wen said on Saturday while visiting the eastern province of Jiangsu, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
The government has been seeking to clamp down on speculative demand while at the same time encouraging banks to lend to first-time home buyers.
