China did not connect to the Internet until 1994， 25 years after it first appeared. It has since flourished rapidly and robustly. Today， 618 million Chinese use the Internet， 500 million of them via mobile phones， representing 73 percent of the urban population and 25 percent of rural residents. More than 80 percent are young people.

An open， free， shared， and innovative space， the Internet appeals to people of a country that has achieved rapid economic growth. It has changed their lifestyle， most profoundly as regards communication， social life， health care and education. The Internet creates countless businesses opportunities， promotes an open society， and nurtures new values. But its expanding social and economic significance has made cyber security an issue of growing concern.

The Internet has brought technological revolution and social reform to China， propelling it towards greater openness and vigor.