China to intensify crackdown on porn, illegal publications during Spring Festival

BEIJING, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- A publications watchdog of China warned Sunday it will step up a crackdown on pornography and illegal publications over the Spring Festival holiday.

A statement issued by the National Office Against Pornographic and Illegal Publications said its renewed crackdown would target the distribution of obscene content through the Internet and cellphones, the infringement of intellectual property rights, as well as the production and sale of fake and substandard goods.

The office would increase inspections of the wholesale and retail publications markets and the software market, and strictly punish those found selling illegal and pirated publications, said the statement, without giving details of the new measures.

It would also intensify checks of highway, rail and air transport systems to cut the distribution channels of illegal publications.

The statement said the office would launch a special campaign in February to strictly punish those who illegally print, transport, store or market pirated dictionaries.

China launched a special campaign in December 2009 against pornographic and vulgar content on the Internet, including the mobile Internet. More than 60,000 pornographic websites were shut in the first 11 months of last year.

The Spring Festival, or Lunar New Year, falls on Feb. 3 this year.