Nation charts course to end illegal mapping

BEIJING - China is launching a national campaign this year to crack down on illegal online mapping services with the aim of reducing the amount of sensitive and confidential information revealed by the sites.

The State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping said in a statement on its official website last week that the crackdown will lead to the shutting down of some mapping websites.

The statement said all published maps that have severe problems, such as wrong information, will be destroyed. Bookstores selling unlicensed maps will also be told to stop.