information released by foreign news agencies.

In using news and information from foreign news agencies, the user in China shall clearly indicate the sources and shall not transfer them to other parties in any form.

Article 14 Foreign news agencies and designated entities shall, within the prescribed time limit, submit reports each year to Xinhua News Agency on their work in releasing news and information and in acting as agents respectively.

Xinhua News Agency may conduct examination and inspection on the basis of what is reported. Only those agencies and entities that have passed the examination and inspection are permitted to continue their news and information release and agency business.

Article 15 Any unit or individual has the right to report to Xinhua News Agency any violation of these Measures. And Xinhua News Agency shall investigate and deal with the violation according to law.

Article 16 Where a foreign news agency violates the Measures in one of the following manners, Xinhua News Agency shall give it a warning, demand rectification within a prescribed time limit, suspend its release of specified content, or suspend or cancel its qualifications of a foreign news agency for releasing news and information in China, on the merits of each case:

(1) Releasing news and information beyond the scope of business as approved in the approval document;

(2) Directly soliciting subscription of news and information services, or doing so in disguised form; and

(3) Distributing news and information which contains the material specified in Article 11 of these Measures.

Article 17 Where a user in China violates the provisions of these Measures in one of the following manners, Xinhua News Agency shall give it a warning, demand rectification within a prescribed time limit or order the designated entities to suspend or rescind the subscription agreement, on the merits of each case:

(1) Using the news and information from a foreign news agency beyond the scope as prescribed by the subscription agreement;

(2) Transferring to other parties news and information from a foreign news agency that it has subscribed to; and

(3) Failing to indicate the sources clearly when using news and information from a foreign news agency.

Article 18 Where a unit or individual violates the provisions of these Measures in one of the following manners, Xinhua News Agency shall submit a proposal to the relevant department of the State Council to impose an administrative penalty according to law:

(1) Releasing news and information without approval by Xinhua News Agency or subscribing to news and information of a foreign news agency without going through the entity designated by Xinhua News Agency;

(2) Distributing news and information of a foreign news agency or acting as its agent without approval; and

(3) Directly translating, editing or publishing news and information of a foreign news agency without approval.

Article 19 Where a designated entity, in violation of the provisions of these Measures, acts as an agent for distribution of the news and information of a foreign news agency that has not obtained approval of Xinhua News Agency, Xinhua News Agency shall order it to rectify, and disciplinary penalties shall be imposed on the persons directly in charge and the other persons directly responsible.