134m Chinese use internet

2005-02-08 11:26

Beijing - The number of internet users in China will hit 134 million by the end of 2005, consolidating its position as the second largest market in the world after the United States, said a research firm.

The figure would mark a growth rate of about 30% compared with 103 million Chinese users at the end of last year, independent forecaster Analysys International said.

The number of 103 million users in late 2004 was higher than the 94 million figure released last month by state-controlled China Internet Network Information Centre.

Analysys said the increase would push the development of online games, a fast growing industry in China.

Last year, China's online games subscriber base grew 61.1% year-on-year to 24 million, while the market rose 89.5% on a yearly basis to 3.6 billion yuan ($434m), Analysys said.

In 2005, the online games subscriber base would increase to around 35 million people, representing a stabilising growth rate of about 50%, according to the research firm.

China welcomes the internet, as it helps the economy leapfrog into the 21st century, but at the same time it is worried about the way it enables people to access information that is considered subversive.

In reaction, the Chinese government has cracked down hard on internet cafes, closing down many, and is also monitoring online traffic for content that might be deemed politically sensitive.

- AFP