The Internet in China: Problems and Prospects

The Internet has penetrated China at an unprecedented rate. In 1994 2,000 Chinese computers had on-line access; by 2000 that figure had grown to 6 million, and China is now host to more than 30,000 websites. Many have lauded these developments for their potentially liberalizing effects; others have argued that the Internet merely strengthens the administrative capacity of the central government. How will the Internet transform China? Duncan Clark has been intimately involved in the Internet in China since its commercial inception in 1995. A recognized authority on the telecom sector in China, he is the founder of BDA China Limited, and serves on the Advisory Board of China's leading portal, Netease.com. He is a technology columnist for The South China Morning Post, and a frequent commentator on radio and television. He is a graduate of the London School of Economics.