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Beijing (pte017/22.07.2005/12:51) - The total number of Internet users in China, the second largest Internet market, has risen to 103 million, a growth of 18.4 per cent compared with the same time last year, China Daily http://www.chinadaily.com.cn reported on Friday.
The market still has growth potential, according to a survey released by the 'quasi-governmental' China Internet Network Information Center on Thursday, the paper said.
"While more than 67 percent of the U.S. population, about 135 million, have access to the Internet, in China the percentage is only about 7.9 percent," it said.
It had been predicted that 120 million Chinese would be Web surfing by the end of the year, with computer and telecommunications networks rapidly growing.
The Chinese are also discovering online shopping, with about 20 per cent of Internet users purchasing online. During the first half a year an estimated total of 10 billion yuan (US$1.23bn, or about 1bn euros) was spent, said the newspaper.
Analyst Lu Weigang was quoted as saying: "Most of China's Internet users are well educated and have hefty purchasing power."
However the state still controls Internet content. "Politically sensitive" statements are blocked or vetoed, and chatrooms and blogging are monitored by 'Internet police'. A few months ago the government announced that all China-based Web sites had to register by June 30 face being shut down.
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