China’s online population — defined as those who have used the internet at least once in the past six months — rose by more than 53 million in 2013, the China Internet Network Information Centre (CNNIC) reported.
As many as 500 million people in China were accessing the internet using mobile phones by December, the report added.
China already had more web users than any other country in the world. It is home to a huge e-commerce market, and the web has been used by citizens to spotlight government abuses, creating a concern for the ruling communist party.
China maintains tight controls over the internet, blocking websites that it deems politically sensitive in a system dubbed the “Great Firewall of China”, and encouraging social media companies to censor user-generated content.
My problem with China has always been the dichotomies of life. On one hand they block the information which should be of educational value for the country, and with more freedom of expression you do get a stable society. Then on the other hand, they allow all these ‘blue movies’/pornography to circulate in over 80 percent of the country; especially amongst the ‘sexually starved’ young people. Further hurting the reputation of a virtuous society.
I love Chinese history and culture, but I’d say the following, “You got a long way to go, baby!”
Like the old saying goes, “You can’t have your cake and eat it too!”
All the best,
Daniel