China has for years faced complaints from Western companies and politicians that it does not fight hard enough against a huge blackmarket of counterfeit DVDs, music discs and software. Washington has launched action at the World Trade Organisation over the issue.

But at least during the Beijing Olympics in August, officials will be working extra hard to keep cheap copies of Hollywood hits off the streets, the official China Press and Publishing Journal reported on Monday.

Anti-piracy and pornography officials have announced a hundred-day operation against pirate copies, the paper said.

Strike hard against all kinds of pirate copies violating rights and against illegal publishing activities, said the notice launching the drive. Go all out to create a healthy cultural market environment for the Beijing Olympic Games.

In the Chinese capital and other cities hosting Games events, officials will be on call 24 hours a day to catch pirate sellers, the report said.