Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The government of China has drafted a bill of law to "better" protect citizens whose houses are demolished to make way for urban redevelopment. The bill follows a wave of protests caused by disputes about countrywide requisition of land.

Land seizures and forced demolition have become routine in developing cities where entire neighbourhoods are sometimes leveled, and their residents chased out, to make way for offices and commercial buildings. State media has referred to them as "barbarian demolitions", which have sparked an ever increasing number of petitions and public protests.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress is analyzing the bill which sets clear limits to the powers of officials and obliges local governments to inform those evicted of their civil rights in a thorough manner.

A state-run daily newspaper said: ""Some government bodies have been lax in adopting proper procedures and have infringed upon the legal rights of residents." When the law is enacted, residents will be allowed to appeal demolition decisions and ask for compensation.

The National People's Congress amended China's Constitution in 2004 to introduce the concept of private property and the draft of China's first real property law. The law, presented on 11 July last, stresses its inviolability.

According to Zhou Yongkang, Public Security Minister, mass protests are on the increase across the country: in 1994, there were 10,000; in 2004, there were more than 74,000 involving at least 3.76 million people. Among the causes sparking protests, apart from forced demolitions, are land seizures in agricultural areas and exploitation of migrant workers.