China has launched a crackdown on websites, online stores, mobile applications and social media that distributes pirated or illegal publications.

The nationwide campaign aims at protecting the intellectual property rights of publications of the press, publication and media industry, and of e-commerce platforms and mobile applications.

The campaign involves a severe crackdown on actions of distributing illegal films and videos via online disks, applications, WeChat and Weibo messaging applications, and forums, as well as unauthorized transmission of news items via websites, mobile applications and official accounts on WeChat.

Severe measures will also be taken against application stores and providers that release and distribute unauthorized news items, literature, films, videos and music.

The campaign will strengthen supervision on big e-commerce platforms, and crack down on online stores that sell pirated books, videos, accounts and passwords of online disks, and links to pirated publications.

The action was jointly initiated by the National Copyright Administration, the State Internet Information Office, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Public Security.

The four authorities have launched crackdowns on pirated or illegal online publications for 13 years.