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A new report released by the China Internet Network Information Center suggests that the number of net users in China last year reached over 688 million - that's more than half of the country's total population.
The penetration of mobile Internet in China has been highlighted by the report which was released on Friday, with more than 90 percent of the 688 million Internet users accessing online services via their mobile phones.
And WeChat, the instant messaging app developed by the Internet giant Tencent, has swiftly gained 650 million active users within China and abroad in just five years.
Presenting the report, Liu Bing, deputy head of the China Internet Network Information Center elaborated on the trend.
"Nearly 90 percent of netizens have used the instant messaging app in China. Meanwhile, 75 percent of traditional enterprises have taken advantage of Wechat for marketing promotion. Another highlight is the strong momentum of online media, as online news readers have reached over 560 million by the end of 2015. In addition, China has 413 million online shoppers now."
During last year's Single's Day shopping spree in November, sales via Alibaba's Tmall hit a record high with over 90 billion yuan or 14 billion US dollars being spent within 24 hours.
The expansion of Internet coverage has also boosted ride-hailing services in Chinese market over the past year.
The report notes that over 96 million, or one in 14 people, ordered a taxi via the Internet in 2015, with most of them doing so on mobile devices.
Meanwhile, over 20 million people booked private cars online as the service became available in nearly 200 Chinese cities through Didi, a popular ride-hailing app, again backed by Tencent.
Li Xiaodong, head of the China Internet Network Information Center, believes that several factors have led to the widespread use of the Internet in public sectors.
"On top of that, Internet technology has become advanced enough nowadays to carry out many public services. Secondly, more and more enterprises have shown their willingness to join with the public sector. On the other hand, with its "Internet Plus" initiative, the government has provided enterprises with sufficient support to make better use of the Internet."
Talking about the growth pattern of China's Internet Industry, Chen Yubo, deputy head at the School of Economics and Management with Tsinghua University, believes the development pattern in China will be unique.
"Western countries went through an era of large-scale mergers and acquisitions, and have formed some industry giants in each sector. However, China will explore a different path, as emerging Internet-based platforms will help integrate various enterprises in an industrial chain. Such platforms have already emerged in several industries including steel, nonferrous metals and grain logistics."
The report also suggests that over 190 million rural residents in China have also begun to surf the Internet, accounting for some 28 percent of all Internet users.
