China to boost Internet industry

A visitor tries out wearable device at the Light of the Internet Expo in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, Dec 14, 2015. [Photo /chinadaily.com.cn]

President Xi Jinping said China will fully bring out the role of the Internet to increase its overall strength and, in particular, attach importance to development of the big data industry and continue to pursue the Internet Plus strategy in the upcoming five years starting from 2016.

Xi said China will use the Internet to benefit its society and people, but will also properly manage the industry in accordance with relevant laws. He made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the second World Internet Conference (WIC) in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, on Wednesday.

China's economic indicators have shown a worrisome trend of weakening this year, but thanks to a slew of supporting policies, there have been signs of steady growth in November. Official data show that factory output increased by an annual 6.2 percent in November, compared with October's 5.6 percent. Retail sales grew by an annual 11.2 percent in November, the strongest expansion this year. It was 11 percent in October.

The Internet industry has contributed enormously to the country's brisk consumption, which is the key factor behind the country's attempted shift from an economic growth pattern driven by investment and exports to one based on consumption and innovation.

The WIC, which runs through Friday, has brought together more than 2,000 state leaders, government officials, business leaders, Internet titans, and experts from more than 120 countries, with 10 forums that allow for an exchange of views on everything from Internet culture and communications, to innovation and development, to digital economic cooperation, the Internet plus, and the digital Silk Road, to cyber security and cyberspace governance.

China had 668 million Internet users by July of 2015, the largest number of any country in the world, covering all of its cities and towns, and 93.5 percent of villages.