National People's Congress spokeswoman Fu Ying attends at a news conference for the NPC annual session  in Beijing, March 4, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Property tax bill not to be discussed this year

There is no plan to submit a property tax bill to lawmakers for deliberation this year.

"There have been a lot of discussions on this issue; as such a bill involves a wide range of interests," Fu Ying said.

China's current housing tax mechanism mainly taxes the development and sale of property, without taxing home ownership or the market value of homes.

A reform plan approved by the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee in 2013 made clear that the legislation of taxes in the property sector would be accelerated.