China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has required the country's telecom service providers to register the real names of users when they apply for new phone numbers, in an effort to better implement the country's newly adopted counter-terrorism law. 

According to a circular released by the ministry on its official website on Tuesday, China's telecom service providers must strictly verify their users' identities before granting them a phone number. Moreover, people who have registered five or more SIM cards should be strictly scrutinized if they attempt to apply for a new number.

The ministry said the move aims to better implement the country's counter-terrorism law and better protect personal information online.

According to China's first counter-terrorism law, which took effect January 1, telecom service providers should examine users' identities and shall not provide services if users' identities are not clear or if users refuse an identity check.

The circular also stipulates that telecom enterprises should enhance management of their online agents, requiring them to get a license from industrial and commercial authorities, register users' real names and protect users' personal information.

Telecom enterprises and online business platforms should also conduct regular examinations of their online agents, and unauthorized agents should be shut down before the end of August, the circular stated.

The ministry also demanded that telecom companies reregister past users' information.