China has shut down more than 8,600 unlicensed Internet cafes across the country since February when it launched a nationwide check on all Internet cafes, according to Minister of Culture Sun Jiazheng.

Sun made the remarks at a recent week-long nationwide clean-up campaign for Internet cafes.

"Some unlicensed Internet cafes, especially in some townships, counties and areas joining town and country, still need to be clamped down on, and some local governments do not impose severe punishment on those cafes who allow the entry of juveniles," Sun said.

Local governments across China have been ordered not to approve any Internet cafe operations in residential areas or within 200 meters of primary and high schools.

The General Administration for Industry and Commerce (GAIC), China's market watchdog, said currently in China, many Internet cafes, especially those without licenses, admit juveniles in violation of relevant regulations and spread unhealthy information online.