A regulation on dictionary publication came into effect on
Monday, asking for an overhaul on the publication sector of
dictionaries and other similar reference books to ensure
qualifications of relevant publishing houses and quality of their
products.
The regulation will effect a nationwide inspection by the General
Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) on the quality of
dictionaries issued by eligible publishing houses.
Once shoddy products or copyright infringement cases such as
plagiarism were spotted, dictionary publication business of
relevant publishing house will be "suspended for two years" or even
"revoked", according to the regulation.
The regulation orders a halt of publication and distribution of
dictionaries for publishers that have not incorporated the sector
in their scope of business.
Dictionaries, which have already got published, can not resume
distribution before their quality is acknowledged by the provincial
and national press and publication departments.
Those in compilation, however, shall not be published or
distributed before the publishers get permit from GAPP to run the
business.
The regulation also stipulates that publishing house with at least
a senior editor and four editors can apply for the dictionary
publication business to GAPP. But all the editors must receive
professional training and pass the appraisal sponsored by GAPP
before the publishing house starts the business.
(Xinhua News Agency May 2, 2006)
