China has banned its 2.3 million soldiers from Internet blogging. According to the state media reports, a new regulation prohibits the People's Liberation Army (PLA) from creating websites or blogs, citing confidentiality concerns. The official Xinhua news agency says, China operates vast Internet censorship, dubbed the "great firewall of China". Websites deemed sensitive by the government are routinely blocked. The directive, which went into effect on 15 June, also banned military employees from placing job-hunting or lonely hearts advertisements in the media.