An electronic business network linking telephone users in four major cities in east China's Shandong with local financial organizations and commercial businesses will become operational soon.

The network will provide a series of financial and banking services such as account payment, trade dealing and information exchanges.

Shandong will institute favorable policies to encourage more such networks with services for E-commerce, advertising, entertainment, video programs and medical consultation.

By 2005, the province will have combined its current three networks: telecommunication, cable television and computer systems.

The province has so far opened a number of websites providing digital data, Internet service and information on public multimedia and automatic wide-band multimedia.

The network was jointly set up by a local telecom firm and an agriculture bank to improve Shandong's information and economic development. (Xinhua)