Monday, April 5, 1999
INTERNET
Survey reports big interest in Internet among Chinese
NEWSBYTES
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The Internet market in China could be set for explosive growth if the results of a new survey are realized.
The poll, reported by Xinhua (the New China News Agency), found that 71.2 percent of people who don't use the Internet at present are very interested in accessing and using the global computer network.
At present China has just over two million domestic Internet users and the number is growing fast as prices and other obstacles to access drop.
Among those already using the Internet, 70.8 percent regularly send and receive electronic mail and 85.6 percent access the network in search of information on science, technology, and political and social matters. Two thirds of existing users owned home computers and average weekly use was 5 hours and 16 minutes.
For respondents not currently online, the high price of access was cited as a reason they had not yet logged on. The comments from this survey, conducted in the final three months of 1998, and several other recent surveys, has recently led the Ministry of Information Industry to cut the price of Internet access.
The survey, by Beijing-based consultancy Sinclair, received responses from 10,408 people across the country. Of those responding, more than 85 percent were below 35 years of age and over 77 percent had achieved a college-grade education. |
