The number of Internet users in China would reach 58 million by the
end of 2002, second only to the United States, and paid users have
also emerged, said a report released by the China Internet Network
Information Center (
CNNIC) Wednesday.
The report also showed that the number has risen by 28.70 million
since last year.
The characteristics of Internet users in China have also changed,
according to a report given the Fourth China Information Port Forum
which opened Tuesday in this capital of southernmost Hainan
province.
Wu
Suoning, chief editor of the "People's Posts and
Telecommunications" noted that China's Internet users are mainly
males, the majority of which are below the age of 35 and
unmarried.
Wu
also noted that the most obvious change for China's Internet is the
emergence of paid users, which indicated that more Chinese Internet
users have searched for quality services, including online
messaging, games and picture downloading.
A
growing number of Chinese are using the Internet to get
information, and searching has become a major reason for going
online.
Meanwhile, there will be about 655 million Internet users worldwide
by the end of the year, according to a report released in November
at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
(Xinhua News Agency December 18, 2002)