China has overtaken Japan in the number of internet domain name registrations.

There are now over 700,000 domain names registered under .CN with huge future potential for further development of the domain name.

There are now over 100 million internet users in China (figures showed some 94 million internet users by the end of last year). This figure included over 42 million broadband users (source: China Internet Network Information Center ).

The internet is becoming a major stimulus for growth and is being used by citizens for a wider and wider variety of uses, although a recent survey showed that it is still predominantly used for education and news followed by automobile information and recruitment.

The biggest barrier to increased internet usage amongst those who still do not use the internet is still lack of knowledge, rather than lack of access. For the development of the economy provision of access to the internet and education on how to use it are being given priority throughout the country.