Property developer, Ren Zhiqiang, said recently that housing prices are a benchmark for examining the growth of the population, and a way of measuring the living standards of the general public.
He criticised the over-development of low-priced housing for low-income earners by the government, saying that these houses occupy huge amounts of land and reduce the scope for property investment.
An article in the 'China Youth Daily' described Ren's remarks as sensational and said his words only further sharpen the divide between rich and poor.
The article goes on to say that Ren Zhiqiang has always stood on the side of the rich, despite the negative public image it evokes.(www.hXen.com)
According to Ren, if housing prices are high enough, commoners may give up their hopes of moving into cities, like Beijing, since they can't afford to live there. Those who can afford expensive houses are believed by Ren to be 'quality' people; but this theory presumes that money determines character.
Finally the article suggests that they reveal his discrimination against common people. It also says Ren's words contribute nothing and only intensify the conflict between the haves and the have-nots.
