(Xinhua file photo)

BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Housing prices remained largely stable in major Chinese cities in February amid the government's tough purchase restrictions, official data showed Monday.

New residential housing prices declined in 12 of the 15 first-tier cities monitored by the government in February compared with January, while those in another 55 major cities surveyed posted slower or flat month-on-month growth, the National Bureau of Statistics said.