A weekend scuffle in Shanghai over a drop in apartment prices adds to increasing evidence that China's efforts to tame a surging property market are having an impact -- even as it offers a hint of what could happen if the measures go too far.

　　越来越多的证据显示中国楼市调控措施正在发生作用，而周末发生在上海、因房价下降引起的一场混战，又为这个观点增加了新的证据。同时也可从中窥见调控一旦过头可能产生的后果。

　　A group of around 400 homeowners in Shanghai demonstrated publicly and damaged a showroom operated by their property developer after the company said it cut prices. Home buyers had wanted to speak with the developer to refund or cancel their contracts but were unsuccessful, according to local media. One report said the price cuts exceeded 25% per square meter.

　　因为开发商说要降价，上海约400名业主公开游行，并损坏了开发商的展厅。据中国国内媒体报道，之前业主们希望跟开发商对话，以求退款或取消合同，但未获成功。一篇报道说，每平米房价降幅超过了25%。

　　The local media reports said an unspecified number of people were injured. The property developer, a unit of China Overseas Holdings Ltd., didn't respond to requests for comment. Photos of the event showed broken glass in the sales office, homeowners marching with banners and a phalanx of police watching over.

　　中国媒体报道说有人受伤，数目不详。涉事开发商是中国海外集团有限公司(China Overseas Holdings Ltd.)子公司，它没有回复本报置评请求。有关这一事件的照片显示销售办公室玻璃破损，业主打着条幅游行，还有警察列队监视。

　　Chinese media separately reported that another group of Shanghai homeowners gathered on Saturday to speak with Longfor Properties Co., after it dropped asking prices to 14,000 yuan per square meter from 18,000 yuan per square meter at a residential development in the city's Jiading district. Longfor didn't return calls for comment. In an Oct. 20 release, it said it posted stellar sales following an aggressive sales strategy for three of its projects in Shanghai and in the city of Hangzhou.

　　Sina Weibo来自新浪微博的数张图片显示了周末发生在上海的针对房价的抗议活动。但抗议者并未获得来自微博用户的多少支持。据中国媒体另外一篇报道说，另一群上海业主于周六聚集，希望同开发商龙湖地产(Longfor Properties Co.)对话，原因是龙湖地产将上海嘉定区一处居住项目的开盘价从每平米1.8万元下调到了1.4万元。龙湖地产没有回复本报请求置评的电话。在10月20日的一篇新闻稿中，龙湖地产说，通过实施激进的销售策略，它在上海和杭州的三个项目取得了不俗的销售业绩。

　　Beijing has been tightening control of the property market this year to tame surging property prices, amid fears that unaffordable housing could lead to greater social unrest. Measures include a massive 1.3 trillion yuan program to build about 10 million public housing units for low-income earners this year, as well as limits of purchases of second homes and other restrictions.

　　因担心买房难问题造成更大的社会动荡，今年以来北京一直在收紧对房地产市场的控制，以求驯服迅猛上涨的房价。它所采取的措施包括斥资1.3万亿元，在今年年内为低收入人群建设1000万套左右的保障房。另外还有限制购买第二套住房等措施。

　　Data in recent weeks have suggested that the curbing efforts are having an impact. China's housing prices were largely unchanged in September from a month earlier and grew at a slower pace than in September 2010, indicating Beijing's efforts to cool the real estate sector are having an impact.

　　近几个星期的数据显示，这些调控措施正在产生影响。今年9月份的中国房价基本维持在前一月的水平，涨幅也低于2010年9月，说明北京为冷却房地产行业采取的措施正在产生影响。

　　Speculation has turned to whether authorities will now relax restrictions. On Monday, China's eastern city of Nanjing said it would let residents borrow more money from the city's housing provident fund to buy 'ordinary homes,' in a move designed to give the struggling property sector a boost. While it didn't elaborate, such homes are often defined as no larger than 140 square meters.

　　人们已经在猜测当局会不会放松管制。东部城市南京周一说，它将提高居民从该市住房公积金借钱购买“普通”住房的上限，以提振处境艰难的房地产市场。虽未具体说明，但这类住房通常被定义为不超过140平方米。

　　In the southern city of Foshan earlier this month, local officials announced they would lift some property-market restrictions, then postponed that move the next day 'to seek further public opinion and to make an assessment on the effects of such measures', without giving further details.

　　南方城市佛山的官员曾在本月早些时候宣布，他们将部分解除房地产市场的限制措施。接着第二天，他们又暂缓执行这条措施，以求“进一步征询社会各界意见，并综合评估政策影响”，但并没有进一步详细阐述。

　　Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Saturday stressed that all levels of government need to reinforce China's controls of the property market, and that tightening efforts in the property market and the construction of public homes in China are at a pivotal moment.

　　中国国务院总理温家宝周六强调各级政府要落实房地产市场调控政策，并强调房地产市场调控和保障房建设正处于关键时刻。

　　The Shanghai property-owner demonstration found little support on China's Internet, where most still expressed worries that housing prices are too high. In an informal poll posted on the Twitter-like microblogging site Sina Weibo that had attracted more than 34,000 votes by Tuesday evening, 80% said they that thought it was normal for housing prices to fall and that the Shanghai protestors were just playing up the issue.

　　上海业主的游行在中国的互联网上并未获得多少支持，多数网民仍然表达了房价过高的担心。到周二晚间，新浪微博一项非正式调查吸引了34000多人投票，其中80%的人说，他们认为房价可以下降，业主维权是胡闹。

　　“This is an immoral action,” Weibo user Xiaobai Yeyou Naxieshi wrote in one of the 7 million property-related posts Sina had collected Tuesday on a special topic page. “Buying a house is a form of investment and every investment involves risk. If prices didn't fall, people who can't afford to buy an apartment would really have to wait forever.”

　　新浪在一个专题页面上搜集了700万条与房地产相关的微博，其中用户“小白也有那些事”说：“这件事，是一种不道德的行为。因为购房本身就是投资，任何投资都会有一定的风险。如果不降价，那买不起房子的人，就真都要永远等待了。”

　　“Dear Government, can you please cancel my purchase of Petrochina shares? A refund based on the IPO price would be fine,” joked Linshi Renyuan. Petrochina, which debuted on the Shanghai stock market at 16.7 yuan per share in 2007, was trading at to 9.85 yuan per share at the end of the day Tuesday.

　　“临时人员”开玩笑地问：“请问政府，我买的中石油股票能给我退了吗？就按照发行价退就行。”中石油2007年以每股16.7元的发行价登陆上海股市，本周二收于每股9.85元。

　　That said, a sustained drop in housing prices could spark its own displeasure. It could also spark criticism that Beijing's policies don't address long-term issues.

　　不过房价持续下跌也有可能引起不满。它还有可能引起批评，说北京的政策并不是为了解决长期问题。

　　Outspoken Chinese real estate tycoon Ren Zhiqiang, whose properties haven't been involved in the demonstrations, said on his microblogon Monday, “Does the government really want to solve the housing (issue) for the public or is it just using the property market as a tool to balance between economic growth and the public sentiment?”

　　直言不讳的中国房地产商任志强周一发微博说：“政府到底是真想解决民众的住房，还是仅把房地产市场作为平衡经济增长与民众情绪的工具呢？”（任志强的房地产项目没有卷入上述游行事件。）

　　“Why doesn't the government work on land supply, land prices and tax incentives? Why doesn't it raise wages and lower home purchase taxes, and raise the affordability for the citizens?” Mr. Ren asked.

　　任志强问：“为啥政府从来不从土地供给、土地价格和税收减负上下点功夫呢？不从提高民众收入和减免个人购房税费、提高民众的购房可支付能力上下点功夫呢？”