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Beijing (pte021/07.02.2005/11:30) - China will have 134 million Internet users by the end of 2005, according to independent forecaster Analysys http://www.analysys.com . As the Tehran Times http://www.tehrantimes.com reports, this will consolidate its position as the second largest market in the world after the United States. The figure would mark a growth rate of around 30 per cent compared with 103 million Chinese users at the end of last year.
The number of 103 million users in late 2004 was higher than the 94 million figure released last month by state-controlled China Internet Network Information Center. According to Analysys, the increase would push the development of online games, a fast growing industry in China. Last year, China's online games subscriber base grew by 61.1 per cent year-on-year to 24 million, while the market jumped 89.5 per cent on a yearly basis to 3.6 billion yuan (337.9 million euros). According to the research firm, in 2005, the online games subscriber base will increase to around 35 million people, representing a stabilising growth rate of around 50 per cent.
As the Tehran Times reports, China welcomes the Internet, but at the same time is worried about the way it enables people to access information that is considered subversive. In reaction, the Chinese government has cracked down hard on Internet cafes, closing down many, and is also monitoring online traffic for content that may be seen as politically sensitive.
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