"The rapid development of the Internet in China overlaps with the country's sizzling economic growth," said Cai of the Information Office of the State Council. "Meanwhile, the opening up of the market, establishment of a market economy and the country's accession to the World Trade Organization have all created social demand and driving forces for the Internet to become an influential medium in China. Its growth potential is still huge." He pointed out that the Internet has few competitors as a platform for expressing ideas in a society in the middle of a transition from a planned economy to an open economy that features a widening wealth gap and diversifying values.

Healthy development of the Internet

"Generally speaking, China has a well-regulated Internet medium environment," said Cai. In recent years, some comprehensive news websites run by the traditional media have become important news sources for individuals and other websites. Another trend is the expanding influence of commercial websites. "For the time being, a small number of major news websites and commercial websites attract over 95 percent of the total Web visits," he said.

However, Cai also pointed out that a small number of websites publicize false information, pornography, superstition and illegal advertisements to pursue commercial interests. "These phenomena have harmed the credibility of Web media as a whole and become an outstanding problem engaging wide attention," he said. He stressed that the Internet, a medium to which the entire public has access, must assume certain social responsibilities.

At the closing ceremony of the Fifth Asia-Pacific Symposium on the Press and Scientific and Social Progress in November, Cai Wu, Minister of the Information Office of the State Council, said, "China's Web surfers are among the freest in the world."

"The approaches of the Chinese Government to managing the Internet conform to international practices," said Cai Mingzhao of the State Council's Information Office. He said three forces-government, industry and Web surfers-are engaged in monitoring the Internet in China.

In terms of the government's efforts, in recent years China has enacted a series of laws and regulations on Internet safety, news services and bulletin services. "These laws and regulations serve as the foundation for the operation of websites," he said. "Lawful operation of websites is the objective requirement of the healthy development of China's Web as well as the prerequisite of websites' subsistence and development."

The Internet Society of China (ISC), a nongovernmental organization committed to promoting the healthy development of the Internet in China, issued a "Self-Discipline Treaty of the Internet Industry in China" in March 2002, which was signed by hundreds of Internet companies.

The ISC has also set up an annual award for companies or individuals who make outstanding contributions to industry self-discipline. The award for 2006 was given to Chen Bo, Chief Operating Officer of a homegrown search engine service provider, zhongsou.com, who said the improvement of the Internet environment requires the joint efforts of every Web company and Web user. He stressed that companies' self-discipline is particularly important.

At a campaign to create a clean Internet environment launched at the beginning of this year, zhongsou.com moved fast and firmly to screen the content on its website, deleting all posts on forums related to violence and pornography and providing real-time monitoring of its forums. "Zhongsou would like to make more contributions to a clean Internet environment," said Chen.

In terms of public supervision, the Internet News and Information Service Working Committee of the ISC launched the website net.china.cn on June 10, 2004, which was named the "China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center." The mission of this website is to provide a channel for the public to report suspected illegal or offensive Internet activity and material. So far, this website has received over 350,000 reports and complaints.

"I would say the Chinese Government's management of the Internet is quite effective, which is best supported by the fact that the development of China's Internet industry in recent years can dwarf that of any country in the world. Moreover, China has built up a considerably complete network of laws and regulations on the Internet," said Fang Xingdong, a Web pioneer in the country who runs three websites, including one of the largest blog sites in China.

"I think there should not be a contradiction between government management and freedom and only a healthy and manageable Internet can bring the greatest benefits for Web users and website companies alike," he said.

(This is the last of the year-ender series)