In a joint proposal drawn up on Sunday, owners of 14 websites, including Sina.com, Sohu.com, Baidu.com, and Yahoo's Chinese Website, called on all Internet portals across the country to stem "unhealthy Internet cultures."

"We absolutely oppose to indecent on-line messages that are against social virtues and Chinese people's good culture and traditions," the proposal said.

"No indecent texts and photos, no search agents for such contents, no links to unhealthy websites, and no carrying games with sex and violence contents," it proposed.

The proposal urged Internet portals not to carry illegal, obscene, and "poor taste" photos, text or audio messages on on-line forums, chat-rooms and web blogs.

China has roughly 111 million Internet users, with the majority being the country's young generation. The Chinese government has launched campaigns to clean up the cyber space, in a constant effort to provide the young with a healthy cultural environment.

People's Daily, a leading Chinese newspaper, on Monday published a commentary, speaking highly of the proposal.

"It shows the mainstream of China's Websites are healthy and positive. They are responsible, competent, and confident to join the fight against indecent on-line messages," it said.

"Only a handful of Internet portals are taking advantage of the loophole of Internet management system, and sabotaging the interests of the people and the country," the paper said.

"It seems that websites carrying indecent messages have good market potential and gain profits, but as these websites betray the interests of the majority of people, they won't stay long," the commentary said.