The Internet Society of China (ISC) has expanded from its earlier anti-spam efforts with the launch of a new group called the Anti-Spam Committee of Internet Society of China (ASISC).

The ISC Anti-Spam Coordination Team was previously operating to handle affairs related to unsolicted bulk email in China. Though the ISC Anti-Spam Coordination Team is still operating, the new ASISC will be more industry-driven.

In a prepared statement, ASISC says, "The establishment of the working committee indicates that China Anti-Spam project is stepping into a new phase. For three years, more and more people in China have dedicated themselves into the anti-Spam efforts, many of whom are the top and renowned ones of the field. The anti-Spam work will be more standardized, the measures and instruments will also be perfected and improved that the control of Spam could be more effective."

A China representative from the Spamhaus Project, the world's largest anti-spam organization, says that any new organization launched to help stop the spread of unsolicited commercial and bulk email is good for China, but the organization must have the power to actually initiate change. Spamhaus has been working with ISC in China for two years to help target and eliminate sources of global spam.

ASISC says its main responsibilities will be to institute email service standards and criteria, safeguard the interests of the whole industry, protect email users' legitimate rights, develop international cooperation, improve email service quality, and promote email service's healthy and orderly development.

ASISC currently consists China's largest email and network service providers, relevant corporations, enterprises, science research institutes and government sectors that are willing to dedicate themselves to promote the healthy development of email service industry.

Wang Xiujun, Deputy Director General of the Telecommunication Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Information Industry, has been appointed Chairperson of ASISC.

The new Vice Chairmen are Li Wenzhang, Deputy Director General of Fair Trade Bureau of SAIC; Huang Mingsheng, president of 263 Group; Li Songbo, CTO of Sina.com.cn; Ding Lei, CEO of Netease.com; Wang Leilei, CEO of Tom Online; Zhang Xiangdong, President of Hichina; Huang Chengqing, Secretary-General of ISC; and Yun Xiaochun, Associate General Engineer of CNCERT/CC.

Huang Chengqing will also be the Secretary-General of the new group.