China: 485 Millions Internet Users and 195 Millions Microblog Users

Jul 20, 2011
|In Posts
|By Gang Lu

China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) today released its 28th Statistical Report on Internet Development in China.

Some Highlights:

  • China’s Internet population has reached 485 millions, but the growth seems slowing down compared with 2010;
  • The number of mobile internet users has reached 318 millions
  • Microblog users now reached 195 millions
  • Chinese Social Network market is actually shrinking
  • Instant Messaging, News, Search, Online Music are the Top 3 most popular mobile service

According to this report, China’s Internet population has reached 485 millions by the end of June 2011 and the Internet penetration rate is now 36.2%, increasing 1.9% than 2010. The number of mobile internet users has reached 318 millions which means around 65.5% of Chinese netizens are using mobile device to access the internet.

However, according to CNNIC, the growth of number of Chinese internet users seems slowing down. In the first half of 2010, the number of netizens had an increase of 36 millions; but in the first half of this year, the number only increased 27.7 millions.

CNNIC reports says the Top 5 web services in Chinese is Search, Instant Messaging, Online Music, News and Blog. However we also see some dramatic growth in market such as Microbloging (Weibo) which reached 195 millions users with an increase of 208.9% compared with the number at the end of 2010, Groupon with 42.2 millions users and an increase of 125% and online payment with an increase of 11.7%.

One of the most interesting finding on CNNIC report is that the number of Social Networks users has decreased 5.16 millions in past 6 months, and it is now 230 millions. So the social network market is actually shrinking.

As for the mobile market, the Top 10 most popular mobile service is, Instant Messaging, News, Search, Online Music, e-Reading, Social Networks, Microblog (Weibo), BBS, Online Games and Email.

The full report can be downloaded here (in Chinese).

CNNIC