(Promulgated by the Information Office of the State Council and the Ministry of Information Industry on Ocotober 24,2000)

Article 1. In order to promote the development of Internet news dissemination in China, to standardize news posting on Internet Websites and to safeguard the authenticity, accuracy and legality of Internet news, these Provisions are hereby formulated.

Article 2. These Provisions shall apply to websites engaging in the business of posting news in the People's Republic of China.

References to the "posting of news" in these Provisions shall mean to disseminate and reprint news by means of the Internet.

Article 3. Websites engaging in the business of posting news must comply with the Constitution and laws and regulations.

The State shall protect the legal interests of websites engaging in the business of posting news.

Article 4. The Information Office of the State Council shall be responsible for the administration of websites engaging in the business of posting news in China.

Information offices of the People's Government of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government shall be responsible for the administration of websites that engage in the business of posting news in their administrative jurisdictions in accordance with these Provisions.

Article 5. Websites established in accordance with the law by news units of the central government, news units of various departments of state agencies of the central government, news units of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government and news units directly under the cities where the People's Government of provinces and autonomous regions are located (hereinafter referred to as "News Websites") may, upon approval, engage in the business of posting news. Other news units which have not established separate News Websites may, upon approval, establish news webpages for the posting of news on News Websites that have been established by news units of the central government and news units directly under provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government.

Article 6. News units that establish News Websites (webpages) to engage in the business of posting news shall, in accordance with the following provisions, apply to the Information Office of the State Council or the information office of the People's Government of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government for examination and approval:

(1) News units of the central government that establish News Websites that engage in the business of posting news shall apply to the Information Office of the State Council for examination and approval.

(2) News units of various departments of state agencies of the central government that establish News Websites that engage in the business of posting news shall, upon the examination and consent of the department in charge, report to the Information Office of the State Council for approval.

(3) News units of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government and news units directly under the cities where the People's Government of provinces and autonomous regions are located that establish News Websites that engage in the business of posting news shall, upon the examination and consent of the information office of the People's Government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the central government where they are located, report to the Information Office of the State Council for approval.

(4) News units that are below the level of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government that establish news webpages that engage in the business of posting news on News Websites that have been established by news units of the central government or news units directly under provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government shall apply to the information office of the People's Government of the provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the central government where they are located for examination and approval and shall file with the Information Office of the State Council for the record.

Article 7. Non-news units that establish general websites in accordance with the law (hereinafter referred to as "General Non-News Websites") and that meet the conditions specified in Article 9 of these Provisions may, upon approval, engage in the business of posting news released by news units of the central government and various departments of state agencies of the central government and news units directly under provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government. However, they may not post news reported by themselves or derived from other sources. Other websites established in accordance with the law by General Non-News Websites may not engage in the business of posting news.

Article 8. General Non-News Websites engaging in the business of posting news in accordance with Article 7 of these Provisions shall report to the Information Office of the State Council for approval upon the examination and consent of the news offices of the People's Government of the provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government where the units sponsoring the General Non-News Websites are situated.

Article 9. General Non-News Websites shall meet the following conditions in order to engage in the business of posting news:

(1) they possess objectives and rules and regulations for engaging in the business of posting news are in compliance with legal and regulatory provisions;

(2) they possess the requisite news editing mechanisms, funds, equipment and premises;

(3) possessing a full-time chief news editor who possesses relevant experience in journalism and whose professional title and qualifications are those of a journalist above the intermediate level. In addition, they shall have an appropriate number of full-time news editorial personnel whose professional titles and qualifications are those of journalists above the intermediate level; and

(4) their news information sources are in compliance with the terms of Article 11 of these Provisions

Article 10. Websites applying to engage in the business of posting news shall fill in and submit an "Application Form to Engage in Posting News on Websites," which is uniformly prepared and distributed by the Information Office of the State Council.