China's Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) wants better controls of illegal commercials for food, drugs and wellness supplements.
In a circular, the SPP said procuratorates should focus on the legality of celebrity endorsements and the role of regulatory agencies.
Procuratorates should increase information sharing with government agencies, find clues of related cases from media reports, and get tip-offs from individual informers, the SPP said.
"If the watchdogs fail in their responsibilities, procuratorates should not hesitate to initiate litigation," it said.
The order is in response to controversies involving advertising of diet supplement and "drugs" on television targeting gullible, elderly or rural consumers.
