BEIJING, July 30 -- China's internet environment has seen significant improvement amid the country's efforts to enhance cyberspace governance, an official with China's top internet watchdog told a press conference Monday.

Over the past year, more than 57.45 million pieces of content containing illegal or inappropriate information were cleared or blocked, said Yang Jianwen, deputy director of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC).

The CAC shut down over 4,800 websites and platforms over the past year, contributing to a continuous improvement in the online environment, Yang added.

Yang noted that the CAC has reviewed its previous work to better assess the outcomes and consolidate its achievements, adding that more efforts will be made to strengthen early warning and prevention with a focus on public concerns.