MUMBAI: Coming not-so-soon to TV screens in the People's Republic of China, a kids channel created under the "guidance" of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

With the CPC and (by extension) the Chinese government showing great concern for the nation's youth, China has ordered all its provincial TV stations to get ready with a special channel catering to children by the end of 2006.

The state Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) has made it obligatory for TV stations to produce and broadcast "excellent" cartoons, movies, educational, entertainment and feature programs suitable for young viewers on the new channel.

There are 367 million children in China, which accounts for 28 per cent of the population. The new development is part of the CPC and the State Council's package of proposals, issued in March, on improving the ethical, ideological and moral standards of children and young people across the country.

The Chinese government has been taking a lot of care these days to keep obscenity away from TV shows. Last month SARFT ordered TV stations nationwide to curtail air time for TV plays, movies and other programs that depict bloody, violent, homicidal and horror content.