(Yicai Global) Aug. 3 -- Apple has removed nearly 30,000 apps, 86 percent of them games, from its App Store in China because they were unlicensed by Chinese regulators, the Securities Times reported yesterday.

Gaming apps in China must be licensed by the National Radio and Television Administration, and all such apps were to be examined before July 31, Apple said earlier, adding that apps without approval would be deleted from the App Store.

In response to concerns about the surge in the number of underage users and violent content, China unveiled a permit policy to regulate the gaming market in 2016. Android app stores have been enforcing the rules since then.

Apple’s store has not been able to implement the policy, and some unapproved games can still be downloaded. Titles from overseas developers in particular can still enter China via the App Store without the country’s approval. Voodoo, for example, has 131 games available in the country.

The App Store’s revenue in China reached USD246 billion last year, or 47.4 percent of the total, contributing the most to the US firm’s global revenue, according to data it released earlier.

Editor: Peter Thomas