A draft regulation on expropriation of houses and relevant compensation is expected to be made public Friday to solicit comments.

China's Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council, or cabinet, is going to release the full text of the draft on its website.

The draft spells out the conditions, due process and compensation of expropriation intended for public interest, such as national defense, key national projects of energy, transportation and education.

The draft says local government should, by holding hearings or adopting other opinion soliciting methods, ensure that the public opinions can be heard.

The draft also provides that compensation to the house owners should not be less than the market price of similar houses.

The draft stresses that no violence, coercion, or other illegal means, such as cutting off the water or power supply of the houses, can be employed in demolition procedures.

Demolition for the need to upgrade the quality of dangerous and old buildings should not be carried out without the approval of 90 percent of the house owners, the draft says.

The public is invited to comment on the draft regulation any time before February 12 via online postings, email or letters.

(Xinhua News Agency January 28, 2010)