Authorities in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have released a joint notice to ban the online and offline trading of classified topography maps, local officials said Wednesday.

A topography map entitled "classified", published during the Culture Revolution (1966-1976), was discovered trading in a collection market in May, which triggered the joint notice by five regional departments, including the bureau of surveying and mapping, civil affairs department, administration for the protection of state secrets and communication administration.

The notice banned trade and collection of topography maps with "classified" titles and required people to report to the authorities if they find such trading or collection.

Any government department which lose classified maps will be punished and any website involving classified topography map trading will be closed, said the notice.

(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2009)