Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, January 15, 2004
Number of Chinese netizens hits 79.5 million: Report
The number of Internet users, or netizens, on the Chinese mainland reached 79.5 million by the end of 2003, up 34.5 percent over a year earlier, said an authoritative report issued Thursday. Computers linked to the Internet had reached 30.89 million by the end of 2003, up 48.3 percent, said the report on the 13th survey of the development of the Internet in China.
On Jan. 15 China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) released the 13th report on China's Internet industry in Beijing. According to the report all the statistics on the macro-scale kept rapid growth rates. Till the end of 2003 China's Internet users increased to 79.5 million. The number of computers connected to the Internet was 30.89 million and the bandwidth of the Internet international outlet was 27216M. While the numbers of domain name and website registered under CN were 340,000 and 596,000 respectively. The Internet has become an industry in China, which has the most comprehensive influence, grows fastest and still shows the largest market potentials. It has developed with the kind of profundity and comprehensiveness beyond anyone's imagination.
The report shows: till December 31, 2003 the number of China's Internet users grew to 79.5 million �C still the second largest in the world. Compared to the statistics published in July 2003 China's Internet users increased by 11.5 million in half a year �C about 16.9 percent and was 20.4 million more than that at the end of 2002 �C about 34.5 percent. These statistics indicate that China's Internet industry is growing solidly and has stepped into a new rapid development stage.
Compatible with the shot up of netizen number the number of computers connected to the Internet is also growing. The report shows till December 31, 2003 there were totally 30.89 million computers connected to the Internet. Compared to the data in the 12th report the number increased by 5.17 million �C about 20.1 percent. The number was about 10.06 million more than that at the end of 2002 and 48.3 percent higher. Judging by the numbers China's computer industry is still in the rapid development stage.