SHANGHAI, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Chinese newspapers available in Beijing and Shanghai carried the following stories on Thursday. Reuters has not checked the stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

21ST CENTURY BUSINESS HERALD

- The housing and urban-rural development ministry has launched a campaign to remove or otherwise deal with illegal construction within the next five years, based on a pilot programme in Zhejiang province that started in 2013.

- A tax collection reform plan passed on Tuesday indicates that local and central tax authorities will continue to play separate roles, despite rumours the two might merge.

CHINA BUSINESS NEWS

- According to data from the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges, the total amount of money in margin trading and short selling on Oct. 13 was 952.39 billion yuan ($150.07 billion), up 4.42 billion yuan from the previous trading day. Margin trading and short selling has been on the rise since a low of 906.71 billion yuan on Sept. 30, the newspaper reported.

- An amendment to China's insurance law was released by the State Council, or cabinet, on Wednesday for public opinion. The last amendment of the law took place in 2009, according to China Business News.

CHINA SECURITIES JOURNAL

- As of 8 p.m. on Wednesday, 364 out of 484 GEM listed companies had released third-quarter results, with 242 forecasting a rise in net profit over the same period last year, according to data from from Wind Information.

CHINA DAILY

- A meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi signals both countries are making efforts to ease tensions and melt the ice in bilateral ties, an editorial said.

For Hong Kong and South China newspapers see.....

($1 = 6.3462 yuan) (Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Sunil Nair)