BEIJING, March 1(Xinhuanet)-- Chinese authorities shut down 47,000 illegal Internet bars during a nationwide crackdown between February and December 2004, said sources with the Ministry of Culture.

During the crackdown which was launched by several governmental ministries including culture, education and public security departments, 21,000 Internet bars have been barred from opening until they undergo an overhaul and 2,131 business licenses have been revoked, the culture ministry said.

Internet bars without legal business licenses and those that have been admitting minors and engaged in dissemination of harmfulcultural information have been the focus of the crackdown, which aims to create more wholesome and safer environment for minors in China.

Government agencies have been striving to promote the development of chain Internet bars in a bid to phase out illegallyoperated businesses through market forces, according to the ministry.