BEIJING, July 23 -- The number of China's online population, the world's largest, hit 668 million in June, with 594 million of those using mobile devices to go online.

Figures from China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) showed that China's total Internet population rose by 18.9 million in H1. Mobile Internet users grew by 36.8 million and mobile phones are now the main vehicle for accessing the Internet in China, with 88.9 percent of the total online population doing so via their phones.

Online payments, shopping and travel booking services via mobile phones rose 26.9 percent, 14.5 percent and 25 percent, respectively.

According to the report, there is still room for growth as more people in rural areas have come online. Some 186 million Internet users are rural residents, 27.9 percent of the total online population.