15th January 2009, China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) released the 25th Statistical Survey Report on the Internet Development in China. I went through the report and here is a translated summary of the key findings.

I. Netizen Size

The number of Chinese netizens reached 384 million. Among them, 60.8% have accessed the Internet via mobile phones, the size almost double within one year.

• The total number of netizens in China had increased to 384 million | 28.9% increase YoY
• The Internet penetration rate reached 28.9% | 27.9% increase YoY
• 346 million netizens (90.1% of total) access the Internet via broadband | 28.1% increase YoY
• 233 million netizens (60.8% of total) access the Internet via mobile phones | 97.5% increase YoY

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II. Netizen Demographic

With the “Xiao-Xiao-Tong” Internet popularization program by Ministry of Education, the number of schoolchild netizens grew sharply in 2009. In addition, 30 – 49 years old with stable income is the main class of Chinese netizens.

• Gender:

- 54.2% male netizens and 45.8% female netizens | fluctuated from 52.5% : 47.5%

• Age:

- 1.1% under 10 | 175% increase YoY
- 31.8% between 10 – 19 | 9.7% decrease YoY
- 28.6% between 20 – 29 | 9.2% decrease YoY
- 21.5% between 30 – 39 | 22.2% increase YoY
- 10.7% between 40 – 49 | 11.5% increase YoY
- 4.5% between 50 – 59 | 7.1% increase YoY
- 1.9% 60 or older | 26.7% increase YoY

• Education:

- 8.8% with elementary or lower | 63.0% increase YoY
- 26.8% with up to middle school | 4.3% increase YoY
- 40.2% with up to high school or basic technical training | 2.0% decrease YoY
- 12.2% with college school | 12.2% decrease YoY
- 12.1% with a bachelors degree or higher | 8.3% decrease YoY

• Profession:

- 28.8% Students | 13.3% decrease YoY
- 7.5% Employees in Party, government, and institute | 27.2% decrease YoY
- 3.1% Managers | 31.1% decrease YoY
- 15.0% Enterprise Staff | same
- 10.4% Technical professionals | 19.5% increase YoY
- 2.4% Rural migrant workers | 7.7 decrease YoY
- 4.4% Workers in industries and service industries | 120% increase YoY
- 13.0% Self-employed/Freelancer | 5.1% decrease YoY
- 2.8% Agricultural, forestry, husbandry, fishery laborers | 21.7% increase YoY
- 2.1% Retirees | 5.0% increase YoY
- 9.8% Jobless, laid-off and unemployed people | 78.2% increase YoY
- 0.8% Others

• Income (RMB):

10.0% no income | 566.7% increase YoY
18.0% Under 500 | 30.8% decrease YoY
14.5% 500 – 1000 | 10.5% decrease YoY
13.7% 1000 – 1500 | 14.4% decrease YoY
13.4% 1500 – 2000 | 2.9% decrease YoY
15.4% 2000 – 3000 | 12.4% increase YoY
9.3% 3000 – 5000 | 16.3% increase YoY
2.7% 5000 – 8000 | 6.9% decrease YoY
2.9% Above 8000 | 52.6% increase YoY

• Structure:

- 72.2% urban netizens, and 27.8% rural netizens | fluctuated from 71.6% : 28.4%

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III. Netizen Behavior (Internet Access)

Home is the main place netizens browse Internet. Less people go to Internet Cafes while more people surfing the Internet in their office. Mobile becomes a main device for netizens, one reason is mobile phone has a much higher penetration rate than computers in China, especially those underdeveloped districts.

• Access Places:

- 83.2% from home | 6.1% increase YoY
- 35.1% from Internet cafes | 20.8 decrease YoY
- 30.2% from office | 45.9% increase YoY

• Access Time:

- average 18.7 hours a week | up from 16.6 hours

• Access Devices:

- 73.4% via desktop computers | 17.9 decreased YoY
- 60.8% via mobile phones | 53.9% increase YoY
- 30.7% via laptop computers | 10.4% increase YoY
- 0.5% via other devices

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IV. Netizen Behavior (Internet Application)

Search engine service replaced instant messaging service to be the 3rd top online application. Social networking service is a lightspot in 2009, which reduced the popularity of IM and BBS. Online gaming and shopping kept a sustaining growth rate. Financial related applications like online banking, paying, and stock speculation increased most significantly. Although the overall rate of online travel reservation isn’t high yet, the growth is really rapid.

• Popular Internet Applications:

- 83.5% netizens are using online music service | 0.2% decrease YoY
- 80.1% netizens are using online news service | 2.0% increase YoY
- 73.3% netizens are using search engine service | 7.8% increase YoY
- 70.9% netizens are using instant messaging service | 5.8% decrease YoY
- 68.9% netizens are using online gaming service | 9.7% increase YoY
- 62.6% netizens are using online video service | 7.3% decrease YoY
- 57.7% netizens are using blog service (on both BSP & SNS) | 6.3% increase YoY
- 56.8% netizens are using email service | same
- 45.8% netizens are using social networking service | N/A
- 42.3% netizens are using net literature| N/A
- 30.5% netizens are using forum / BBS service | 0.7% decrease YoY
- 28.1% netizens are using online shopping service | 13.3% increase YoY
- 24.5% netizens are using online banking service | 26.9% increase YoY
- 24.5% netizens are using online paying service | 39.2% increase YoY
- 14.8% netizens are using online stock speculation service | 29.8% increase YoY
- 7.9% netizens are using online travel reservation | 41.1% increase YoY

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V. Mobile Internet

The penetration of mobile Internet was very high, but it was still dominated by traditional messaging and information based applications. However, mobile search was a star point for marketers and music kept the popularity.

• Base:

- 233 million mobile netizens (60.8% of total netizens)

• Popular Mobile Applications:

- 77.8% mobile netizens are using mobile instant messaging
- 75.4% mobile netizens are reading mobile information (WAP news, SMS/MMS newspaper, and e-novel)
- 55.2% mobile netizens are using mobile search engine
- 50.4% mobile netizens are listening/downloading mobile music content
- 22.8% mobile netizens are connecting to mobile social networking
- 19.3% mobile netizens are playing mobile online game
- 18.4% mobile netizens are using mobile email service
- 16.5% mobile netizens are watching mobile TV

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Below is the full report (in Chinese), and you can also download it here in PDF.