WUHU City will waive a deed tax and subsidize some home purchases, the first Chinese city to ease property curbs this year even as the central government reiterated its stand to keep curbs.

The city in Anhui Province will subsidize 50 yuan (US$7.90) per square meter for the purchase of homes between 70 square meters and 90 square meters, and 150 yuan per square meter for new homes less than 70 square meters, it said in a statement on the government website yesterday.