This week, China has started a three-month campaign to crack down on Internet piracy, to further clean up the online atmosphere for copyright protection. CRI's Yixiu has more.

The National Copyright Administration, or NCA, along with the ministries of public security and commerce, has launched the campaign earlier this week.

This round is an extension of the 100-day anti-piracy campaign held from mid July to October, which focused on stifling DVD and CD piracy.

Wang Ziqiang, head of the NCA's copyright management department, says that this round of the campaign is to combat internet piracy.

“The campaign is focusing on the online piracy of music, movies, software, books and games. Piracy actions which seriously damage public security will be investigated in-depth and will be subject to legal punishment.”

To conduct the campaign more effectively, the NCA has set up a website for the general public to report on Internet copyright infringement incidents, and the organization is cooperating with some other anti-piracy organizations both home and abroad.

During a one-month investigation held in October, the administration collected evidence for more than 300 cases of Internet IPR infringement, doubling the number uncovered last year.

Meanwhile, China is working to make the campaign lead into a long-lasting and collective effort.

Chen Jiachun, an official with the Ministry of Information Industry, says China's first regulation on online copyright, which took effect in July, is one of the moves.

"The statute involves 16 ministries and departments, clarifying the procedure for supervising piracy problems on the Internet, and building up a daily coordination system between different organs, in order to crack down on Internet copyright infringement."

Experts point out that clamping down on online Information Property Right infringement is a arduous battle, which requires the cooperation of netizens, website operators, and sound legal and administrative back-up.

Yixiu, CRI news.