The Administrative Regulations on the Publication were promulgated in 2001 and amended in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2016 respectively. The latest revision entered into force on 6 Feb. 2016.

There are 73 articles in total, which aim to regulate publishing activities, develop the publishing industry and protect citizens’ liberty of the press according to the law.

The key points are as follows:

1. Publishing activities include publication, printing or reproduction, import and distribution of publications. The term “publications” refers to newspapers, periodicals, books, audio-visual products, electronic publications, etc.

2. The competent administrative publishing department under the State Council shall be responsible for the supervision and administration of publishing activities nationwide.

3. Those who intend to establish a publishing unit shall, as a sponsor, submit an application to the provincial publishing administrative department where it is located; after the approval of the provincial publishing administrative department, the application shall be further submitted to the competent administrative publishing department under the State Council for approval.

4. Newspapers, periodicals, books, audio-visual products and electronic publications, etc. shall be published by publishing units.

5. No publication shall contain contents prohibited by laws, administrative regulations and national regulations.

6. Those who intend to engage in publication printing or reproduction business must submit an application to the provincial publishing administrative department for approval before doing so.

7. Those who intend to engage in the wholesale and retail business of publications, or engage in the publication distribution business through the Internet and other information networks, shall obtain the publication business license.

8. The publication import business shall be operated by the publication import entity which has obtained the publication import business license issued by the competent administrative publishing department under the State Council.

9. The publication import entity shall be responsible for the censoring of its imported publications. The competent department of publication administration at or above the provincial level may conduct direct censoring on the publications imported by the publication import entity.