More than 1,000 people have also expressed support for the ban on Sina.com, one of China's largest websites.

Large TV shopping firms such as the Shanghai Seven Star TV Shopping Company said the ban would better regulate the market and benefit the industry in the long run.

"We'll suffer a loss of about 20 per cent in business, and a large number of small companies may face shutdown," a sales manager of the company said. "But we consider the policy positive for a healthy TV shopping industry."

Advertisement rates may be up to 5,000 yuan (US$625) per minute for such commercials, which last anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes, he said.

At about 2:00 pm on Wednesday, 18 of the country's 53 TV channels were broadcasting such commercials, according to a report by The First, a daily newspaper in Beijing.

However, Zhu Changhao, vice-chairman of the China Association of Pharmaceutical Commerce, urged the governing bodies to issue harsh punishments for any violations.

"Otherwise, I'm not optimistic about the result of the ban," he said.