With 111 million Internet users -- 11 percent of the world's total and rising -- China is facing an unprecedented quandary on how to regulate the new medium and perceptions abroad of government controls.
Last week, China's central news websites, including Xinhuanet.com, People.com.cn and China.com.cn, backed a proposal by major Beijing-based portals for self-censorship and the eradication of pornographic and violent content.
"No indecent textd or photos, no search engines for such content, no links to indecent websites, and no games involving sex and violence," promised the 14 portals.
The government has closed a large number of domestic websites containing illegal materials. From September to November last year, public security authorities shut down 598 porn sites and wiped out 35 porn domain names, according the Ministry of Public Security.
The government holds "indecent material" could harm children and menace social stability. The crackdown, however, has sparked criticism from abroad.
The "Massage Cream" weblog, run by Chinese journalist Wang Xiaofeng, was temporarily closed in March, carrying a notice that said: "Because of unavoidable reasons known to all, this blog is temporarily closed."
Foreign news organizations soon reported that Wang's blog was closed by the government.
Wang later confirmed he had closed the blog himself to see what the reaction would be, claiming that it just confirmed prejudices against the government.
The authorities claim their regulation is in strict compliance with law, but on Friday Premier Wen Jiabao said that the public was demanding Internet companies improve their self-discipline and self-regulation.
"Websites should convey accurate information, rather than mislead people and disrupt social order," he added.
