The Beijing public security department and other departments have closed down 240 illegal entertainment centers or entertainment centers providing illegal services, a spokesman with the Beijing Public Security Bureau has said.
The official said the action was taken to maintain social stability and it was part of the nationwide "strike hard" campaign against pornography, gambling, drug dealers and addicts as well as criminal gangs.
He said the city is to publish the names and addresses of the first group of 49 entertainment centers chosen from the 240 centers and the names of the other 191 centers will also be published later.
The official said, of the 240 entertainment centers, 178 did not have licenses while the other 62, though having licenses, were involved in prostitution.
Statistics indicate that the number of entertainment centers in Beijing has reduced from over 12,000 to about 7,500 so far after one year's rectification.
(People’s Daily 04/24/2001)
