The fast growth of the Internet has become a feature in China's information and communications industries, according to Vice Ministry of Information Industry Jiang Yaoping on Thursday.

Jiang told a national meeting on the Internet that the country's increasing number of Internet users, or netizens as they're called here, has prompted the rapid development of Internet-related technologies in China.

Data shows that China had 123 million netizens as at the end of June this year, second highest in the world after the US.

The number of broadband users reached 77 million, and there are currently 788,000 websites in the country.

Jiang said the Internet plays an increasingly important role in promoting China's economic development and improving people's quality of life.

At the same time, he said China is stepping up efforts to supervise the Internet. Because the Internet is widely used, the ministry has had to shift its focus from ensuring information dissemination and network safety to protecting intellectual property rights, consumers' rights and privacy, and business secrets.

A series of rules and regulations have been worked out in this regard, including the Internet Safety Emergency Plan.

(Xinhua News Agency September 22, 2006)