More inspectors have been sent out on a "Summer Campaign" to the streets and marketplaces around China in a fresh bid to crack down on piracy, pornography and other illegal publications.

Activities are also being held in many places to publicize the importance of intellectual property protection and to call on the public not to buy illegal publications.

"All localities should crack down on piracy," says a document for the campaign issued by the government. "The matter has bearing on the overall interests of the nation."

As part of the campaign, which will run to August, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce has issued a circular ordering its local branches to uncover illegal publication activities and enhance supervision over publishing houses and printing plants.

In one of the publicity campaigns, nearly 1 million Chinese youngsters have signed their names on a huge banner printed with the slogan "Protect Intellectual Property and Don't Buy Pirated Products: Starting with Myself".

In Shanghai, market regulators have handled 198 cases and confiscated 640,000 illegal audio and video compact discs.

(Xinhua News Agency May 18, 2006)