progression of internet use and censorship in China in the last 15 years

  • CERNET created

    CERNET created
    The Shuimu Qinghua BBS built in the China Education and Research Network (CERNET) went into operation. It is the first Internet-based BBS in China's mainland.
  • No. 195 Decree

    The State Council promulgated the No.195 Decree, i.e., the Provisional Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Managing the Computer Internet Information Network.
  • ChinaGBN opened a 256K dedicated circuit connected to the US

    The China Golden Bridge Network (ChinaGBN) opened a 256K dedicated circuit connected to the United States. ChinaGBN also announced the decision to provide Internet access service, mainly for institutional users through dedicated circuits and individual users through telephone lines.
  • CNNIC issued its first Statistic Report on Internet Development in China

    China had more than 290,000 PCs connected to Internet and 620,000 Internet users, 4,066 registered domain names of CN, 1,500 WWW web sites and 18.64Mbps of bandwidth for international outlets.
  • CNNIC issued the second Statistic Report on Internet Development in China

    China had more than 542,000 PCs linked to Internet and 1,175,000 Internet users, 9,415 registered domain names of CN, 3,700 WWW web sites and 84.64Mbps of bandwidth for international outlets.
  • CNNIC issued the third Statistic Report on the Development of Internet in China

    China had more than 747,000 PCs linked to Internet and 2.1 million Internet users, 18,396 registered domain names of CN, 5,300 WWW web sites and 143M256K of bandwidth for international outlets.
  • CNNIC issued the fourth Statistic Report on the Development of Internet in China

    China had more than 1.47 million PCs connected to Internet and 4 million Internet users, 29,045 registered domain names of CN, 9,906 WWW web sites and 241M of bandwidth for international outlets
  • China's first minority ethnic web site

    The Tongyuan Tibet Web site, China's first minority ethnic web site, opened on the platform of Western Space, a node in northwestern China's Gansu Province, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
  • Google China founded

    Google China founded
  • Period: to

    Google China, headed by Kai-Fu Lee

    Kai-Fu Lee, a former Microsoft executive and the founder in 1998 of Microsoft Research Asia.
  • censorship set

    censorship set
    Google rolls out Google.cn, its China-based search page that censors search results in accordance with Chinese rules. Google says it made the trade-off to “make meaningful and positive contributions” to development in China while abiding by the country’s strict censorship laws.
  • Google Admits Problems

    Google admits that its decision to launch Google.cn, a Chinese-censored version of Google.com, has damaged the company after a series of attacks from Web users.
  • Google Code Complaints

    Google admits its sites pinyin input method was not solely built by Google after Chinese company Sohu claims it pirated its software code.
  • youtube blocked

    youtube blocked
    China blocks access to Google’s YouTube video site
  • Lee resigns

    Lee resigns as Google China head to start his own company. Google appoints sales chief John Liu to take over Lee’s business and operational responsibilities.
  • Google considering a pullout from China

    Google's chief legal officer David Drummond writes in a blog that the company is considering a pullout from China due to cyber attacks and challenges with government censorship.
  • China's first official response

    China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu says that foreign internet firms are welcome to do business "in accordance with the law." The statement is seen as China's first official response to the issue.
  • Google's CEO Eric Schmidt informs U.S. media...

    Google's CEO Eric Schmidt tells U.S. media that they are unwilling to participate in censorship any longer, and that they will only continue to operate if they are able to work out an agreement with China.
  • China fights back in phones area

    A scheduled launch of the Google Phone is cancelled in China
  • CNNIC 25th survery report

    China Internet users: 384 million, with a penetration rate of 28.9%
    Broadband Internet users: 346 million
    China mobile internet users: 233 million (60.8% of total internet users)
    Internet users in rural areas: 106.81 million
    Registered domain names: 16.82 million (80% are .cn domains)
    Male Internet users v.s. Female: 54.2% v.s. 45.8%
    (http://bit.ly/88VSMA)