Recent News on China's Information and Telecommunications

• QUALCOMM Signs CDMA Intellectual Property Agreement with China Unicom. This could be significant for the CDMA deployment in China. (01/2000).
• State Secrecy Protection Regulations For Computer Information Systems On The Internet. (From www.chinaonline.com, 01/2000)
• China's CNNIC announces the results of its 5th survey on Internet in China (01/2000).
• China's Internet'2000 will be hold in Beijing in June 2000. (12/99)
• WWW.GOV.CN - the point to all the government related websites. This is the result of China's project of "Government-on-line" (The content is in Chinese, 11/30/99).
• Some comments by Chinese stake holders, including China Telecom and China Unicom, on "After China Join the WTO". (in Chinese, 11/18/99).
• U.S. and China Sign an Agreement: Paving the Way for China to Enter the WTO. China will allow 49 percent foreign ownership in telecommunications companies immediately after accession into the WTO, followed by 50 percent after two years (by Bloomberg News, 11/15/99).
• China plans to launch its "third telecom carrier - China Netcom corporation (CNC)" while its business might not cover the full range offered by China Telecom and China Unicom. It is now questionable whether CNC is a real third Chinese telecom carrier or it is just a baby MCI positioned to be the future third telecom carrier. (09/23/99)
• The consulting firm IGI will host its conference - China Telecom 2000: on Chinese Internet and Broadband Markets, Nov. 2-3, 1999, San Francisco.
• Minister Wu's comments on Foreign investment in China's Internet and WTO. (This is really a re-iteration of the current/old policy. There is no any new changes. The Internet is part of the telecom services where foreign direct involvement in operation is banned by China's regulations. To better understand this, you are recommended to STUDY this original Chinese version of Minister Wu's statement from China Telecom's website). (09/18/99). 
• China's CNNIC published its 4th survey on Internet in China (Chinese version, 07/99).
• A summary of recent policy and organizational changes in China's telecommunications (by IGI , 06/23/99)
• There are many news reports on the WTO and China's telecommunications industry. This article touches this issue in depth while it is in a general sense. (04/29/99)
• China Regulates Internet Calls This is a short report by Wired. (03/26/99)
• China Telecom has been OFFICIALLY approved to be splitted into three - Telecoms - Plan for 3-way split approved (03/06/99).
• Wired News reported that MII has confirmed that China Telecom will be splitted into three parts - wireline, mobile and paging. The final plan needs the approval from the State Council, as reported. (02/04/99)
• The MII reiterates that IP telephony and fax-over-IP are basic telecom services. Only China Telecom and China Unicom are licensed to operate the services. Other operations are ILLEGAL (in Chinese, 01/22/99).
• The top Internet information center in China, CNNIC, published results of its third semi-annual survey. The total users of China's Internet have reached 2.1 million by 12/31/98. (unfortunately, it is in Chinese, 01/21/99).
• Report claims that China Telecom will be divested into different lines of business including wireline, cellular, satellite and paging. However, cross-ownership is permitted (no official confirmation yet, 01/02/99)
• Ken Zita at Network Dynamics published his paper - "Will China Embrace Competition? Foreign Equity in Telecoms Hangs in the Balance" (Will be presented at PTC'99 in Hawaii, 12/31/98)
• News report on the possible break-up of China Telecom re-surfaced (China Daily's Business Weekly, 11/29/98)
• China Telecom has launched its website with tons of valuable information (11/27/98).
• The MII has announced to host China's ChinaInt/InternetWorld'99 on May 18-20, 1999 (11/22/98).
• China's Policy Changes on "CCF" Finance Model in Telecom (The consultant firm, IGI, published its report on the hot CFF topic on 11/10/98. However, it is not FREE).
• Cisco Systems to be Key Supplier for Building China's Nation-Wide IP Backbone (News release by CISCO on 10/14/98) and Cisco is also reported to help build a CIX in Beijing (10/19/98).
• MII's Minister Wu is reported to claim that "China is not ready to open its telecommunications market to foreigners yet. MII is actively creating the fair environment and preparing for the openness". See the news in Chinese. (10/02/98)
• Zixiang (Alex) Tan and Will Foster published a report - "Internet Diffusion in P.R.China" (PDF file of the March 1998 version). This report will be upgraded soon. (September 1998)
• China's domain name registrar, China Network Information Center (CNNIC), published its second national survey on China's Internet. The total Internet users have reached 1.17 million in China by the end of June 1998. (August 1998).
• The Ministry of Information Industry has announced all of its departments and department directors on its web site under the category of "organizational chart". (August 1998).
• The newly former Ministry of Information Industry has launched its web site at www.mii.gov.cn. This is one of the few official government sites in China. (July 1998).
• The proposed re-structuring plan of China's government was approved by the People's Congress on March 10, 1998. Click here to view the detailed list in Chinese.
• NEWS (March 6, 1998, official news from China's Xinhua News Agency)  -- China has PROPOSED to re-structure its information/telecommunication administrative agencies. The Ministry of Information Industry (MII) has been proposed by merging the MEI with the MPT. In addition, the new Ministry (MII) will take over the current administrative functions on information and network administration, handled by the current MBFT, China Corporation of Aerospace Industry, and China Corporation of Aviation Industry. MPT's post services will be shifted to a new National Bureau of Post Services. The MBFT is proposed to be downsized to a national bureau. Please click here for the official document in Chinese.
• China's MPT has anounced to cut 30% charges on International Leased Lines and 50% on domestic DDN starting from 01/01/98 [no details].
• New "Safety Regulations on China's Internet" (published by the MPS 12/30/97) [Chinese and English version]
• "China may conduct trials to open his Value-added telecom market to foreigners" (Sept. 29, 1997, in Chinese).
• "Second Conference of the Development of Internet Technology and Policies in China". (Nov.  12-14, 1997)
• Telecom Market Not Ready to Open for Foreigners, China’s MPT Minister Says (08/29/1997)
• The Interim Regulations on China's Internet Domain Names (In Chinese, 06/03/1997)
• PRODIGY TO OFFER INTERNET SERVICE IN CHINA (04/28/97, Wall Street Journal)
• IDG China News (Business news on China's information & telecom industry. Updated constantly).
• Chinese Telecom: Giant Steps, Giant Problems A paper in Data Communications (Feb. 1997).
• The Giant Infant: China and the Internet (China's Internet by a Western observer); (12/96).
• China's MPT Director General Outlines Issues for New Telecom Law (Dec. 11, 1996)