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China Has Largest On-Line Population

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the that-didn't-take-long dept.

Smivs writes "China now has the world's largest net-using population, say official figures. More than 253 million people in the country are now online, according to statistics from the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC). About 95% of those going online connect via high-speed links. Take up of broadband has been boosted by deals offered by China's fixed line phone firms as they fight to win customers away from mobile operators. Despite having a greater number of people online, China's net economy still has a long way to go to match or exceed that of the US or even that of South Korea. Figures from Analysis International said China's net firms reported total revenues of $5.9bn (£2.96bn) in 2007. By contrast, net advertising revenue alone for US firms in 2007 stood at $21.2bn (£10.6bn)."

10 of 132 comments (clear)

  1. Inflation. by FatSean · · Score: 5, Informative

    Didn't we just have a story about how advertising on the web is way over-valued?

    I wouldn't trust the Chinese government to report on the color of the sky, but I suppose there are ways to validate their claims.

    --
    Blar.
    1. Re:Inflation. by Hoi+Polloi · · Score: 5, Funny

      Only 1 in 5 are online. That is because the other 4 in 5 are monitoring them.

      --
      It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
    2. Re:Inflation. by Sigismundo · · Score: 5, Informative

      NPR's On The Media ran a great story about the media in China a few months ago. Well worth a listen. One of the interesting things they noted was that while reporting on national issues is often self-censored due to fear of reprisal, on the provincial and local level it is possible to do hard-hitting investigative reporting on neighboring areas.

      Not much of this stuff ever hits the Western mainstream media, but it is there, and it's made an impact. Censorship on a national level is still a huge problem in China, but there are reporters out there doing good work, and getting that work published.

      Here is a link to a partial transcript of the show.

  2. But... by NuKeLiTe · · Score: 3, Interesting

    How about the restrictions they have?

    How can you count one "online person" when this person can't visit many of the most popular sites on the net and doesn't generates all the in/out traffic that the rest of us create?

    --
    Recave
    1. Re:But... by DDLKermit007 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You mean the same sites that are in a language he majority of them can't understand at all? The fact the overwhelming majority know just Chinese is a bigger fiewall than the one the government setup will ever be.

  3. News at 11 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    China Has Largest * Population

    1. Re:News at 11 by RandoX · · Score: 4, Funny

      You mean the most /. subscribers?

  4. They can't read this... by PetiePooo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Tiananmen Square Massacre!
    Tiananmen Square Massacre!
    Tiananmen Square Massacre!

    They're not online enough to read this comment... Does that really count as online?

    <retrospect>Was that cruel? I figured it as a way to invoke curiosity when they think they're going to an article about something good, and they end up being blocked by that stupid firewall...</retrospect>

  5. In the words of The Hon'ble Mr. Smith.. by l0cust · · Score: 3, Funny

    What good is a phone call if you are unable to speak?

    --
    Politicians and Pedophiles: Two groups of exploitive bastards who are most dangerous when they're thinking of children.
  6. Speed of internet access by FooBarWidget · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's impressive that 95% of the population has high-speed Internet, but "high-speed" is limited to within the country only. Links to foreign countries are slow - VERY slow. Especially to U.S. sites. It took a very long time to load Slashdot.

    That said, the links within the country are insanely fast - and cheap. People over there don't even use Bittorrent: they host all their movies on public HTTP servers. Bandwidth is so cheap that they don't even need Bittorrent. There is even some kind of urban myth over there which says that Bittorrent will wear off your hard drive because of excessive hard drive activity.