BEIJING, March 8 -- China's legislature began examining a much-debated measure Thursday that is intended to help protect private property in an increasingly well-off society.

Although the Communist Party still believes the state owns all land, the growing economy has meant that private property "has been increasing with each passing day," the draft legislation states, adding that the protection of that property is the "urgent demand of the people."

"As the reform and opening-up and the economy develop, people's living standards have improved in general, and they urgently require effective protection of their own lawful property accumulated through hard work," Wang Zhaoguo, deputy chairman of the National People's Congress, said in introducing the latest draft of the measure to the legislature.

The legislation has been at least 14 years in the making and has been discussed by the standing committee of the National People's Congress six times.

In a nod to conservative critics who fear that the measure would speed the sell-off of more state enterprises, the legislation would strengthen protections of state-owned assets and prohibit the illegal possession, destruction or looting of state property.

There are multiple references to the need to uphold "the basic socialist economic system" and "regulate the order of the socialist market economy." The Chinese socialist property system "is in essence different from the capitalist property system," the draft stresses.

Chinese leaders are increasingly worried that a growing gap between rich and poor poses a threat to the country's stability. Hundreds of state-owned companies have closed in recent years, putting hundreds of thousands out of work.

Additionally, farmers and even city dwellers are routinely forced from their homes when developers and local officials decide their property would be more profitable as an apartment block, government building or shopping mall.

As with many laws in China, the property measure -- expected to pass by the end of the session March 16 -- could prove difficult to enforce.