Many of the television shows, movies and publications produced in China each year are rubbish, and the solution is to banish decadent themes and concentrate on uplifting social values instead, a senior government minister has said.

China's ruling Communist Party exercises tight control of the media, seeing it as a valuable propaganda tool, and has long sought to ensure content is both noncontroversial and morally correct.

Cai Fuchao, who heads the State Administration for Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television and is also a deputy propaganda minister, said China produces about 600 movies, 15,000 television shows and 250,000 publications annually.