China’s Internet industry has grown dramatically ever since the country connected to the Internet in 1994. By the end of this September, telecommunication users’ number in China has reached 1.04 billion including 720 million mobile phone users. As world’s largest Internet-using population, China has 360 million Internet users by September 2009.
Officer from Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of P.R. China summarized 4 trends in the development of the country’s Internet industry:
1. Regarding information format, information delivery format is transforming from text-leaded form to audio, video, image as well as multi-media forms. Audio and video formats information accounts for more than 50% of China’s total Internet traffic.
2. Regarding the application fields, Internet usage has extended from information delivery and entertainment consumption fields to business service field. With the fast growth of E-commerce, The role of Internet has been deepened in the nation’s economy structure. Statistics shows the turnover of E-commerce has exceeded RMB 3.1 trillion Yuan in 2008, an increase of 43% over that of last year in China.
3. Regarding the service model, China’s Internet is extending from information service to a range of platform-based services. Web 2.0 service models leaded by blogging and podcasting attribute Chinese Internet users with dual role: information consumers & information producer.
4. Regarding communication method, the traditional Internet is innovating together mobile Internet. With the development of 3G, more and more people begin to access Internet through their cell phones. Mobile Internet market size has exceeded 11.7 billion Yuan, which widens Internet information’s delivery channel greatly.