Chinese Communist Party chief Hu Jintao has vowed to "purify" the Internet, state media reported today after a top-level meeting to discuss ways of controlling the authoritarian country's online activity.
Mr Hu did not directly mention censorship but made it clear that the Communist Party was looking to ensure it keeps control of China's Internet users, who have shown a strong interest in sites with salacious content, games including graphic violence.
The party had to "strengthen administration and development of our country's Internet culture", Mr Hu told the meeting, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
"Maintain the initiative in opinion on the Internet and raise the level of guidance online," he said.
"We must promote civilised running and use of the Internet and purify the Internet environment."
In 2006, China's Internet users grew by 26 million, or 23.4 per cent, year on year, to reach 10.5 per cent of the total population, the China Internet Network Information Centre said.
The vast majority of those users have no access to overseas Chinese Web sites offering uncensored opinion and news critical of the ruling party.
But even in heavily monitored China, news of official misdeeds and dissident opinion has been able to travel through online bulletin boards and blogs.
Mr Hu told officials to intensify control even as they seek to release the Internet's economic potential.
"Ensure that one hand grasps development while one hand grasps administration," he said.