Chinese websites, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and other
Internet-related organizations across the country are being invited
to sign a self-discipline pact designed to protect online
intellectual property rights as well as prevent cyber crime, the
spread of harmful information and unhealthy competition.
The pact, containing four chapters and 31 articles, is initiated
and implemented by the Beijing-based China Internet Association, a
national self-governing body for the country's Internet sector.
The pledge stresses the establishment of a self-disciplinary
mechanism aimed to advance the healthy and orderly development of
the Internet industry in China.
The basic principles of self-discipline for the Internet
industry are patriotism, observance of the law, fairness and
trustworthiness, according to the pact.
The pledge encourages lawful, fair and orderly competition and
values the protection of intellectual property, network security
and the elimination of deleterious information from the
Internet.
Those Internet information providers should not issue or spread
information threatening the national security, social stability or
containing superstitious or erotic content, according to the
pact.
Those websites containing deleterious information should not be
linked, and the information inflow from other domestic and overseas
websites should be examined and supervised by relevant
organizations, according to the pact.
Effective measures should be taken to create a good environment
for juvenile Internet surfers, and Internet bars should direct
surfers, especially young surfers, to have access to healthy online
information.
Any online information products should not contain contents
violating others' intellectual property rights, according to the
pact.
The Internet industry should make joint efforts to oppose online
virus spread and take relevant precautions, according to the pact,
encouraging enterprises and individuals to develop software and
hardware products with their own intellectual property rights.
The pact also calls for active participation of international
cooperation and exchanges in this regard, as well as observance of
international agreements signed by China.
China has promulgated a series of laws and governmental
regulations relating to the management of the Internet, such as the
decision on safeguarding Internet security enacted by the Standing
Committee of the National
People's Congress, China's legislature.
(Xinhua News Agency June 19, 2004)