China crosses the billion mark

In an internet cafe in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, China.

REUTERS / Stringer

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

The milestone of one billion Internet users has been crossed in China.

The world's second-largest economy has gained 22 million additional Internet users in six months, nearly twice the population of Guinea.

With a clear increase in internet consumption among older people.

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With our correspondent in Beijing,

Stéphane Lagarde

It was already difficult to go out without your smartphone before the health crisis in China, with the pandemic it is impossible.

The telephone is used to pay for purchases via digital payments, to order a taxi, a take-out meal or to pay bills.

It is also essential to take the bus, the metro, enter a store, thanks to the health QR code - the health pass was generalized here in spring 2020.

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To read also: 

The era of Covid-19 has been a boon for the digital industry in China

Almost everyone has a laptop. Result: everyone or almost everyone has their nose glued to the screen, up to 7 hours a day for some. And among new surfers, those over 40 whose internet consumption has increased by 14%. China now has 1.11 billion people connected, according to the Chinese Internet Information Center, with an expanding 4 and 5 G coverage (the coverage rate is 71.6% nationally and 59.2% in the countryside). This is obviously the heyday of e-commerce, which should represent more than 50% of retail sales before the end of this year.

A weight in the economy and a number of Internet users who visibly worries the authorities who have just strengthened

censorship on social networks

and are trying to bring the digital giants in line.

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To read also: 

The health pass, impossible to go out without it in China

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  • China

  • Telecom

  • Internet

  • Economy