BEIJING - Some 29.44 million pirated publications have been destroyed across China so far this year, the country's national anti-illegal publications office announced Thursday - a day before "World Intellectual Property Day".

Publications included pirated audio and visual products, books, digital publications as well as illegal newspapers and magazines, according to the National Anti-Pornography and Anti-Illegal Publications Office.

"Piracy and illegal publications are spreading more vehemently on the Internet... Local government departments must intensify efforts to deal with such cases," said Wu Shulin, deputy director of the State General Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television.

Wu urged for a special focus on piracy activities targeting bestselling publications on major topics as well as music and video websites, online retailers of books and electronic devices that circulate such publications.

Over the past five years, the office has destroyed 233 million illegal publications. Last year, crackdowns intensified with 4,045 piracy cases dealt with and 30.85 million pirated publications confiscated.