China confiscates 19.4 mn illegal publication

The seizures were made after 725,000 people were sent to inspect 151,000 publication markets, 288,000 shops and 88,000 printing and copying enterprises, the National Office for Cleaning up Pornography and Fighting Illegal Publications said.

The illegal publications included 745,000 pornographic "items", it said.

In addition, 17.758 million were pirated publications and 487,000 illegal newspapers or periodicals, it said.

The pirated items included 12.94 million audio-video products, 2.963 million books, 797,000 textbooks and 1.058 million software and electronic publications, official Xinhua news agency said quoting the Office.

In all, 9,729 shops, 284 printing and copying enterprises and 108 illegal websites were closed during the first three months.

Authorities have been asked to step up crackdown efforts to check illegal publications, it said.