A total of 1,278 illegal websites have been closed in a nationwide crackdown, according to the Internet Society of China (ISC).

Since an online reporting service was launched by the ISC on www.china.cn on June 10, it has received 95,000 reports of websites that informants thought were illegal.

Of those closed, 1,129 were pornographic and 114 promoted gambling, superstitious activities and cult propaganda.

With the closures, the percentage of online reports dealing with domestic pornographic sites has declined from 67 percent when the crackdown began to 17.4 percent.

The government will now shift its main focus to other illegal sites, including those for gambling and superstitious activities.

The Ministry of Public Security rewarded a number of informers involved in the campaign. The information provided by them resulted in 254 criminal cases and 445 suspects being apprehended.

(Xinhua News Agency December 23, 2004)