Jiangsu Official Provides Details on Government Campaign Against Unauthorized Publications

July 28, 2005

In early 2005, the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) launched a campaign against newspapers and periodicals published without government authorization. The campaign concluded with authorities banning 60 newspapers and magazines.

In early 2005, the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) launched a campaign against newspapers and periodicals published without government authorization. The campaign concluded with authorities banning 60 newspapers and magazines. In May 2005, Liu Binjie, deputy director with the GAPP, told a reporter that these illegal periodicals, including "China Economics," "Prosperous China," "Finance and Technology," "Contemporary Mathematics and Administration," "A Guide to Government Procurement," and "Chinese and Foreign Legal Systems" were "garbage" and constituted a "threat." In June 2005, the Yangzi Evening News (a publication of Xinhua, China's official news agency) quoted an unnamed official in the Jiangsu provincial Office of Press and Publication Administration, who provided the following additional details regarding the campaign:

  • The purposes of the crackdown included concentrating on "banning illegal newspapers and periodicals," "strengthening monitoring and management of the orientation of public opinion," and "regulating the entire province's periodical publishing order."
  • In accordance with the "Regulations on the Administration of Publishing" promulgated by the State Council, any newspaper or magazine that is published by an agency, organization, or individual without the permission of the Press and Publication Administration agency is an illegal publication.
  • Whether or not a publication is provided free of charge is not a basis for determining whether something is an illegal newspaper, and the GAPP had determined that the "working bulletins" of some agencies and organizations were "newspapers" under the Interim Provisions on the Administration of Newspapers.
  • With regard to individuals, work units, and printers who engage in the distribution of illegal publications, his agency carries out "education and warnings," and orders them to cease and desist. With regard to those who still refuse to stop illegal publishing activities following education and warnings, they implement "appropriate sanctions in accordance with the legally established procedures set forth in the Regulations on the Administration of Publishing and other relevant rules and regulations on the administration of periodicals.
  • His agency reports criminal illegal publishing activities to justice authorities, and prosecutes them in accordance with the "Criminal Law" sanctions on illegal publishing activities.

The crackdown was part of the Chinese government's Sweep Away Pornography and Strike Down Illegal Publications campaign.

See below for a partial translation of the article.

 


The following is a partial translation by CECC Staff


The purpose of this special administration action has been to concentrate for a period of time on banning illegal newspapers and periodicals, strengthening monitoring and management of the orientation of public opinion, regulating the entire province's periodical publishing order, promoting the healthy development of our province's periodical industry, easing the burden on basic-level organizations and groups, and creating an environment beneficial to public opinion in order to realize the "two initiatives" and establish a harmonious society.

In the area of publishing our country implements a system of examination and approval, and in accordance with the "Regulations on the Administration of Publishing" promulgated by the State Council, no agency, organization, or individual may engage in newspaper or magazine publishing activities without the permission of the Press and Publication Administration agency. That is to say, any newspaper or magazine that is published by an agency, organization, or individual without the permission of the Press and Publication Administration agency is an illegal publication.

With respect to the question of whether the "Such-and-Such News" and "Such-and-Such Newsletter" compiled and printed by some agencies are illegal periodicals, we are being extremely cautious, and pass these along to the General Administration of Press and Publication to carry out an appraisal. Although the laws and regulations for news publishing do not define the form or content of a "Working Bulletin," nevertheless they clearly define what constitutes a newspaper: "As used in these rules, a 'newspaper' refers to an unbound serial publication with a fixed name, period, and commencement date that has news as its primary content and which is published at least once a week. With respect to the administration of existing publications that are unbound serial publications in the form of newspapers that do not have news as their primary content or which are published less than once a week, these rules shall also be applicable." ("Interim Provisions on the Administration of Newspapers") Some agencies compile and print "Such-and-Such News," "Such-and-Such Newsletter," and other publications whose form and content that correspond to these, they are newspapers, and because they have not been authorized by the Press and Publication Administration agency, the General Administration of Press and Publication has determined that they are illegal publications. Although these "Such-and-Such News" and "Such-and-Such Newsletter" are provided for free, nevertheless whether or not something is provided for free is not a basis for determining whether something is an illegal newspaper.

With regards to individuals, work units, and printers who engage in the illegal distribution of illegal publications, we carry out education and warnings, order them to cease and desist, and with regards to those who still refuse to stop illegal publishing activities following education and warnings, we implement appropriate sanctions in accordance with the legally established procedures set forth in the "Regulations on the Administration of Publishing," the "Regulations on the Administration of Printing Enterprises," the "Rules on the Administration of the Publishing Market," and relevant rules on the administration of periodicals. With respect to activities that constitute crimes, we report them to justice authorities in a timely manner, and prosecute them in accordance with the "Criminal Law" sanctions on illegal publishing activities.