1. Kangkang Dai CSCI102-01

2. Overview Having experienced rapid political, economic, and social change, China’s telecommunication sector has been growing at annual rates of between 30 and 50 percent for the past ten years. However, like most developing countries, the national telephone density and the Internet- user rate remain relatively low: only 23 percent and 2.18 percent respectively in 2001. Moreover, the digital divide among regions and social groups inside China is severe. Statistics show that many parts of rural China are being left behind while the urban areas reap the benefits of the internet and IT. "such growth has been a predominantly urban phenomenon". The majority of Chinese internet users are located almost exclusively in Chinese big cities.

3. Broadband In past ten years, Chinese broadband growth so fast. But almost just develop in Chinese big city, there is not popular in rural area. why just in big city? 1. The inhabitant who living big city are easy to accept new technology. 2. economic gap

4. Statistics Regional Distribution of Internet Access RankRegionPercentage of local population with internet access 1 st Beijing30.4% 2 nd Shanghai28.7% 3 rd Tianjin24.9% Except these, Zhejiang and Guangdong are almost 20% RankRegionPercentage of local population with internet access tail enderGuizhou3.8% Last but oneHenan5.5% antepenultimat e Anhui5.5% Tibet and Gansu are also lower than other area.

5. Comparison of East/Middle/West in China internet development Concentration of World Wide Web Users in China 1.Urban-rural areas 2.Income levels 3.Education levels 4.Gender divide

6. Factors contributing to the increase in the divide 1. insufficient infrastructure 2. high costs of internet-compatible computers 3. illiteracy is a major problem that contributes to the digital divide between the rural and urban areas Factors contributing to the reduction in the divide The United Nations Development Programmer (UNDP) in China is running a 2.5 million dollar project for taking internet access to rural areas of China. Also, the ‘Go West’ project in the Tenth Five-Year Plan (2001-2005) calls for the improvement of infrastructure in Western regions. Although it mainly aims at improving transportation infrastructure, approximately one million kilometers of new fiber-optic were laid alongside the installation of satellite telecommunications facilities between the 5years.

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