China closes 1,600 Internet cafes
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-10-31 22:12

China closed down 1,600 Internet cafes between February and August and imposed 100 million yuan, or US$12 million, worth of fines for allowing children to play violent or adult-only games and other violations.

Deputy director of the Culture Ministry's Market Department, Zhang Xinjian, says of the 1.8 million Internet bars inspected, 18,000 were ordered to stop operations until their problems are rectified.

He adds that pornography, gambling, violence and the like have adversely affected the healthy development of the Internet in China.

The crackdown comes amid a nationwide push to limit violence and pornography on the Internet that has seen the government shut down hundreds of websites.

China has some 87 million Internet users, over 50 percent of whom are under 24.

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