69. The nine types of content that have been illegal to produce or disseminate since the earliest
Internet Regulations are (1) violating the basic principles as they are confirmed in the Constitution; (2) endangering state security, divulging state secrets, subverting the national regime, or jeopardizing the integrity of national unity; (3) harming national honor or interests; (4) inciting hatred
against peoples, racism against peoples, or disrupting the solidarity of peoples; (5) disrupting
national policies on religion, propagating evil cults and feudal superstitions; (6) spreading rumors,
disturbing social order, or disrupting social stability; (7) spreading obscenity, pornography, gambling, violence, or terror, or abetting the commission of a crime; (8) insulting or defaming third
parties, infringing on legal rights and interests of third parties; and (9) other content prohibited
by law and administrative regulations. Two categories of prohibited content were added in Article
19 of the Provisions on the Administration of Internet News Information Services (Internet News
Information Services Regulations) (hulianwang xinwen xinxi fuwu guanli guiding), promulgated by
the State Council Information Office and the Ministry of Information Industry on September 25,
2005. These two additional categories are (1) inciting illegal assemblies, associations, marches,
demonstrations, or gatherings that disturb social order; and (2) conducting activities in the name
of an illegal civil organization. Unofficial English translation is available at Congressional Executive Commission on China Virtual Academy, ‘‘Provisions on the Administration of Internet News
Information Services,’’ September 25, 2005, http://www.cecc.gov/pages/virtualAcad/index.phpd
?showsingle=24396.
70. See NPC Standing Committee, Quanguo renda changweihui guanyu weihu hulianwang anquan de
guiding [Rules of the NPC standing committee on safeguarding Internet security], December 28,
2000.
71. Ministry of Information Industry and the State Council Information Office, hulianwang
xinwen xinxi fuwu guanli guiding [Provisions on the administration of news information services],
September 25, 2005, http://www.isc.org.cn/20020417/ca315779.htm; Congressional Executive
Commission on China Virtual Academy, ‘‘Provisions on the Administration of Internet News
Information Services.’’
72. Human Rights Watch, ‘‘China: Media Chokehold Tightens before Party Congress,’’ August
17, 2007, http://china.hrw.org/press/news_release/china_media_chokehold_tightens_before_party
_congress; Michael Bristow, ‘‘China Tightens Grip Ahead of Congress,’’ BBC News, September 14,
2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6992946.stm.
73. Peter Ford, ‘‘Why China Shut Down 18,401 Websites,’’ Christian Science Monitor, September
25, 2007, http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0925/p01s06-woap.html?page=1.
74. Xinhua News Agency, ‘‘qi bumen kaizhan zhengzhi hulianwang disu zhifeng xingdong’’ [Seven
departments launch operation for fixing the spread of vulgarity on the Internet], January 5,
2009, http://www.gov.cn/jrzg/2009-01/05/content_1196447.htm.
75. Xinhua News Agency, ‘‘Porn Crackdown to Shield China’s Youth during Holiday,’’ China
.org.cn, January 23, 2008, http://www.china.org.cn/china/news/2009-01/23/content_17178010
.htm.
76. Vivian Wu, ‘‘Popular Blog Service Provider Shut Down,’’ South China Morning Post, January 10,
2009.
478
China
Internet Regulations are (1) violating the basic principles as they are confirmed in the Constitution; (2) endangering state security, divulging state secrets, subverting the national regime, or jeopardizing the integrity of national unity; (3) harming national honor or interests; (4) inciting hatred
against peoples, racism against peoples, or disrupting the solidarity of peoples; (5) disrupting
national policies on religion, propagating evil cults and feudal superstitions; (6) spreading rumors,
disturbing social order, or disrupting social stability; (7) spreading obscenity, pornography, gambling, violence, or terror, or abetting the commission of a crime; (8) insulting or defaming third
parties, infringing on legal rights and interests of third parties; and (9) other content prohibited
by law and administrative regulations. Two categories of prohibited content were added in Article
19 of the Provisions on the Administration of Internet News Information Services (Internet News
Information Services Regulations) (hulianwang xinwen xinxi fuwu guanli guiding), promulgated by
the State Council Information Office and the Ministry of Information Industry on September 25,
2005. These two additional categories are (1) inciting illegal assemblies, associations, marches,
demonstrations, or gatherings that disturb social order; and (2) conducting activities in the name
of an illegal civil organization. Unofficial English translation is available at Congressional Executive Commission on China Virtual Academy, ‘‘Provisions on the Administration of Internet News
Information Services,’’ September 25, 2005, http://www.cecc.gov/pages/virtualAcad/index.phpd
?showsingle=24396.
70. See NPC Standing Committee, Quanguo renda changweihui guanyu weihu hulianwang anquan de
guiding [Rules of the NPC standing committee on safeguarding Internet security], December 28,
2000.
71. Ministry of Information Industry and the State Council Information Office, hulianwang
xinwen xinxi fuwu guanli guiding [Provisions on the administration of news information services],
September 25, 2005, http://www.isc.org.cn/20020417/ca315779.htm; Congressional Executive
Commission on China Virtual Academy, ‘‘Provisions on the Administration of Internet News
Information Services.’’
72. Human Rights Watch, ‘‘China: Media Chokehold Tightens before Party Congress,’’ August
17, 2007, http://china.hrw.org/press/news_release/china_media_chokehold_tightens_before_party
_congress; Michael Bristow, ‘‘China Tightens Grip Ahead of Congress,’’ BBC News, September 14,
2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6992946.stm.
73. Peter Ford, ‘‘Why China Shut Down 18,401 Websites,’’ Christian Science Monitor, September
25, 2007, http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0925/p01s06-woap.html?page=1.
74. Xinhua News Agency, ‘‘qi bumen kaizhan zhengzhi hulianwang disu zhifeng xingdong’’ [Seven
departments launch operation for fixing the spread of vulgarity on the Internet], January 5,
2009, http://www.gov.cn/jrzg/2009-01/05/content_1196447.htm.
75. Xinhua News Agency, ‘‘Porn Crackdown to Shield China’s Youth during Holiday,’’ China
.org.cn, January 23, 2008, http://www.china.org.cn/china/news/2009-01/23/content_17178010
.htm.
76. Vivian Wu, ‘‘Popular Blog Service Provider Shut Down,’’ South China Morning Post, January 10,
2009.
478
China