CHRONOLOGY: China's measures to cool its economy

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's central bank raised interest rates on Friday in the latest in a series of tightening steps to prevent the world's fourth-biggest economy from overheating.

Following are some of the steps taken since mid-2003

JULY 20, 2007 - Central bank raises one-year deposit rate 0.27 percentage point to 3.33 percent and the one-year lending rate by 0.27 percentage point to 6.84 percent, effective July 21. Sight deposit rate also raised to 0.81 percent from 0.72 percent.

JULY 1, 2007 - China reduces or abolishes value-added tax rebates on 37 percent of its export categories to deter exports of energy-intensive products.

MAY 21, 2007 -- China imposes a 5-10 percent export tax on more than 80 types of steel products, effective June 1.

MAY 18, 2007 -- The central bank raises the one-year lending rate by 0.18 percentage point and the one-year deposit rate by 0.27 percentage point, effective May 19, bringing them to 6.57 percent and 3.06 percent, respectively.

At the same time, it raises banks' reserve requirement by 0.5 percentage point, effective June 5. It also widens the yuan's daily trading band against the dollar to 0.5 percent from 0.3 percent.

APRIL 29, 2007 -- The central bank raises banks' reserve requirement by 0.5 percentage point, effective May 15.

APRIL 10, 2007 -- China removes export rebates on most types of steel products and reduces the rebate on more value-added products to 5 percent, effective Apr. 15.

APRIL 5, 2007 -- The central bank raises banks' reserve requirement by 0.5 percentage point, effective Apr. 16.

MARCH 30, 2007 -- Eight Chinese ministries say they will launch year-long checks into property market irregularities.

MARCH 17, 2007 -- China raises the one-year benchmark yuan deposit rate by 0.27 percentage points to 2.79 percent and the one-year benchmark lending rate by the same amount to 6.39 percent, effective March 18.

FEBRUARY 16, 2007 -- The central bank raises banks' reserve requirement by 0.5 percentage point to 10 percent for big banks and 10.5 percent for smaller ones, effective February 25.

JANUARY 17, 2007 -- China's tax bureau says it will start levying a long-awaited land appreciation tax, from February 1.

JANUARY 5, 2007 -- The central bank raises banks' reserve requirement by 0.5 percentage point, effective January 15.

NOVEMBER 3, 2006 -- The central bank raises commercial banks' reserve requirements by 0.5 percentage point, effective November 15.