Hu Jintao, the Chinese president, has called for tighter controls on the internet, ordering government and Communist party cadres to “purify” the web and tap into new technology to guide and manage online opinion more closely.

“Whether or not we can actively use and effectively manage the internet...will affect national cultural information security and the long-term stability of the state,” state media on Thursday quoted Mr Hu as telling a meeting of the party’s governing politburo.