GAPP Director Says His Agency Has Perfected Mechanisms for Censorship of Internet Publishing Content

July 14, 2005

General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) Director Shi Zongyuan said that his agency has "resolutely punished many instances of the buying and selling of book numbers, edition numbers, and publication numbers, as well unauthorized cooperation with foreigners," and has "made progress in strengthening guidance over opinions in publications and supervising and managing the Internet and other new media formats." Shi's remarks appeared in a June 21 People's Daily editorial.

According to Director Shi, the GAPP has "perfected and strengthened the integration of the 'those who manage shall be responsible' and the jurisdictional administration management mechanisms . . . and perfected a 24 hour, real-time situational censorship [shendujianguan] mechanism for Internet publishing content." Shi also said that the GAPP has focused on "striking illegal publishing activities and illegal publications, especially illegal political publications . . . ." and had banned over 60 illegal periodicals and sanctioned 19 illegal newspapers.