China Unicom, the nation's second-largest mobile phone carrier, plans to open up  3,000 Internet cafes by the end of the year.

Unicom vice president Li Zhengmao says China Unicom will open 150 to 200 Internet cafes and operate another 2,500 to 2,800 by franchise.

The telecom operator, which already has 400 Internet cafes throughout China, also signed a strategic agreement with China's largest online games operator Shanda Interactive Entertainment to provide Shanda's games in the cafes.

In order to tighten controls over the Internet, China announced last year to introduce a chain store concept into the business, letting up to 100 companies run the vast majority of Internet cafes.

(CRI September 14, 2004)