China is pushing to scrap rules that disqualify some people who have previously taken out mortgages from benefiting from the lower rates enjoyed by first-time buyers. In a recent meeting with property developers and builders, Ni Hong, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, called for homebuyers who had paid off previous mortgages to be considered as first-time purchasers, China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported Thursday. The move is the latest effort by authorities to support the nation’s property market, a key component of the world’s second-largest economy. The minister also called for further ... (full story)