State news agency Xinhua says that the two laws, granting equal protection to public and private properties and unifying corporate income tax rates for domestic and foreign companies, were adopted by an overwhelming majority vote.
-- finfactsad4_start --> The NPC adopted the corporate income tax law with 2,826 votes for and 37 against, and 22 abstentions, and the landmark property law with 2,799 votes for and 52 against, and 37 abstentions.
The private-property law -- the first of its kind for China since the 1949 communist revolution -- will permit people to own and sell assets such as land-use rights for up to 70 years in cities. The tax law charges foreign and domestic companies the same corporate rate of 25 percent.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Friday that China's economic growth, the source of about a 10th of global growth last year, is unstable and environmentally unsustainable, ``China's investment growth is too high, lending growth too fast, liquidity excessive and trade and international payments very imbalanced,'' Wen said at a press conference in Beijing today. Energy efficiency and environmental protection issues haven't been ``properly resolved,'' he said.
Wen's comments highlights the concerns of senior Chinese officials that the economy may overheat with excess capital investment.
However, while exports are surging and the foreign reserves exceed $1,000 billion, policymakers face a conundrum because this year, China expects to create to the market will be seeking.
Data published this week showed inflation rising and continued strong money supply and industrial production growth, while t .
Central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan is reported to have said on Friday that he's watching inflation closely and Commerce Minister Bo Xilai said he's ``very concerned'' about the surplus, suggesting the government may raise interest rates or further restrict lending.
Wen said the creation of a new investment agency to help manage China's $1, 070 billion foreign-exchange reserves won't cause a slump in US securities. China's purchases of US dollar assets are ``mutually beneficial,'' he said.
China is the world's second-largest holder of US Treasuries after Japan, with $353.
6 billion in January.
Market analysts interpret Wen's comments on the economy as signalling an interest rate rise and credit tightening.
The People's Bank of China said last month that banks will have to set aside more money as reserves for the fifth time in eight months to dampen inflation and investment in the world's fastest-growing and fourth-largest economy.
Banks have been told to set aside 10 percent of deposits from Feb. 25th, up from 9.5 percent, the central bank said in a statement on its web site.
The Chinese government fears that cash from record trade surpluses is overheating the economy while it is resisting pressure from the US to let its currency, the yuan to appreciate and result in reducing exports.
According to estimates by The People's Bank of China, each 0.

