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China launched a renewed crackdown to stamp out vulgar content on the internet earlier this week, which analysts linked to a broader campaign to stifle dissent and protest as the economy slows in a year of politically sensitive anniversaries.

Officials named and shamed 19 internet operators and websites, including search engines Google and Baidu, which they claimed had flouted warnings about pornography and other content deemed inappropriate by state censors.

"We feel deeply guilty," Baidu, China's number

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one search engine, says in a statement posted on its website. "We apologise to internet users for any negative effects given to society."

NetEase.com, China's number two online game operator, and SINA Corp also issued public apologies on their websites. "As to our problems and any harm they could possibly have caused internet users, SINA feels deeply sad and concerned," the online media group says.

Google's China office has stopped short of offering an apology on its website, but promises to "work hard" with internet users and society to build a healthy internet culture.

"After we received notice from relevant Government departments... [we] cleaned up links to vulgar content that could have adverse effects on internet users," Google claims in a blog post.

Despite China's all-pervasive censorship machine, pornography is widely available online to China's near 300 million users, many in their teens.

China's ruling Communist Party is wary of threats to its grip on information and has conducted numerous censorship efforts targeting porn, anti-government criticism and websites selling fake drugs.