The Chinese government has reportedly ordered Video streaming websites in the country to stop showing four popular American TV shows.

A spokeswoman for a leading video site, Youku, said that on Sunday it had received notification not to show sitcom The Big Bang Theory, political and legal drama The Good Wife, crime drama NCIS and legal drama The Practice, News.au reported.

However, she added that the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television didn't give a reason for its order.

The move is a glaring reminder of the increasing government control on the online industry, which otherwise enjoys far more freedom than the country's state television and cinemas when it comes to showing foreign productions.

Meanwhile, an unnamed senior manager at another site said that it received a surprise order to "clean the website" last week, the report added.