With the advent of modern technology, news reaches the far corners of the globe relatively faster than it did the past. In response to this, China is set to tighten its grip on online news circulation, according to the state of Administration of News, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SARFT).

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Following complaints of illegal reproduction of articles from a local Chinese news agency, the People's Republic will now punish online news publications for unauthorized distribution of news. "We must strengthen enforcement and increase the strength of punishment for those that do not make corrections," said SARFT deputy director Yan Xiaohang at a forum on Thursday.

Aside from this, the National Copyright Administration of China, which is also spearheaded by Yan, will assume the role as an intercessor and will take the responsibility of overseeing copyright infringement, cases according to China Daily. He added that an "efficient and low-cost authorization mechanism" should be formed to protect intellectual properties.

"The key is that this type of use should be authorized and paid for, and not used as one pleases. Speaking of copyright, orderly, standardized use is an aspect that we need to work on and reinforce," the director said, according to Xinhua.

The initiative comes after a news outlet WallStreetcn.com was publicly reprehended by Caixin, another news portal in China. The latter accused the former of illegally copying its news articles. On its official website, Caixin stated that "As news media, WallStreetcn.com news ignores relevant national legal statutes and regulations, infringes on Caixin's rights, violates the most fundamental professional ethics and baseline values of journalists, and gravely disrupts the normal order of the media market."

Meanwhile, Reuters reports that WallStreetcn.com, in response, has argued that some of Caixin's published stories have widely accessible sources and they link original stories accordingly. However, the agency said they will "clarify responsibility as soon as possible and correct mistakes if any were made."

Tagsonline news, Caixin, WallStreetcn.com, National Copyright Administration of China, intellectual property, China Online News Publication