Information/Technology - 104. page

The Ministry of Information Industry of the People’s Republic of China reported that there were over 539 million mobile phone users in China in November 2007, an increase of 78 million compared with the number of subscribers in 2006. The reform of mobile phone roaming tariffs was part of the reason for the rapid increase.

Guangdong province took the lead with 77 million cell phone subscribers while Tibet has only 765,000 subscribers. According to People’s Daily, the number of text messages sent over cell phones exceeded 535 billion in November 2007.

Source: Ministry of Information Industry Website, January 3, 2008/People’s Daily, December 25, 2007
http://www.mii.gov.cn/art/2008/01/03/art_2001_35674.html

On November 27, an explosion occurred at Lianhua Science and Technology Inc. of Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province, causing dozens of deaths. After the incident, the city government launched an emergency response mechanism and managed to deter 69 journalists with 21 media outlets including Xinhua News Agency, China Youth Daily, China News Services, Xinhua daily, and Jiangsu TV Stations from covering the incident. Surprisingly, the local government sent prostitutes to the reporter’s hotel rooms, and in addition resorted to bribery and police force in an effort to make sure that the incident was “correctly” reported.

Source: Chinese Media Net, December 31, 2007
http://www6.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/Forums/BackStage/2007_12_31_9_52_43_426.html

China becomes the first country to have more than 10 billion monthly search engine queries, thus exceeding the US and establishing a new world record.

The Third Session of Advanced Study of Overseas Chinese Language Media was held on November 26 in Beijing. The Culture, Education and Propaganda Department of Overseas Chinese Affair Office of the State Council, China News Services, and the School of Journalism of Renmin University of China sponsored the event.

On August 29, 2007, during the Computer Malware Management and Law Seminar held in Shanghai, the government agencies involved with Internet security jointly proposed an "Internet Security Law" to be presented at the 17th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (NCCCP). [1]

On August 28, the China Journalists’ Association announced the winners for the 17th Outstanding News Awards. The following day, it was pointed out that the entry from Yangzhou Evening News, which won the third prize, was forged. [1]

Cheng Ming, a Hong Kong Magazine has published an article titled "A Glimpse of Beijing’s ‘Hacker Tribe.’" It provides insight into the hacker world in China. [1] [2] While China takes in high tech from the West, it is spitting out hackers that make people turn pale.