China to shut down porn sites

BEIJING, Oct. 25 (UPI) -- China said Monday it will shut down 47 Web sites if operators do not stop offering pornographic novels to online visitors.

The General Administration of Press and Publication noted the sites offer 38 porn novels on the sites, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Xinhua said the administration publishes a list of Web sites offering such material as part of its campaign against pornography.

Between December 2009, when the crackdown started, and July 28, China has blocked or shut down 19,000 Web sites offering lewd or pornographic content, Xinhua said.