More land opened up for affordable housing

BEIJING - The supply of land for subsidized housing is increasing dramatically in 2011, the nation's land watchdog said.

An estimated area of 77,400 hectares is planned for government-subsidized housing projects, nearly 140 percent more than last year, Liao Yonglin, director of the land use and administration department at the Ministry of Land and Resources, said on Thursday.

The land supply for housing across the country is expected to reach 218,000 hectares in 2011, about 73 percent more than in 2010, with land for affordable housing projects taking up about 35 percent of the total supply, he added.