A regulation on dictionary publication came into effect on Monday, asking for an overhaul on the publication sector of dictionaries and other similar reference books to ensure qualifications of relevant publishing houses and quality of their products.
   
The regulation will effect a nationwide inspection by the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) on the quality of dictionaries issued by eligible publishing houses.
   
Once shoddy products or copyright infringement cases such as plagiarism were spotted, dictionary publication business of relevant publishing house will be "suspended for two years" or even "revoked", according to the regulation.
   
The regulation orders a halt of publication and distribution of dictionaries for publishers that have not incorporated the sector in their scope of business.
   
Dictionaries, which have already got published, can not resume distribution before their quality is acknowledged by the provincial and national press and publication departments.
   
Those in compilation, however, shall not be published or distributed before the publishers get permit from GAPP to run the business.
   
The regulation also stipulates that publishing house with at least a senior editor and four editors can apply for the dictionary publication business to GAPP. But all the editors must receive professional training and pass the appraisal sponsored by GAPP before the publishing house starts the business.

(Xinhua News Agency May 2, 2006)