The draft cyber security law  was released for public opinions by Standing Committee of China's top legislature,the National People's Congress, on July 6, 2015.

 

The Internet has permeated every aspect of Chinese society and become the new engine for media fusion, said Li Peilin, vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) at a symposium on June 21 in Beijing.

The symposium on the development of new media also marked the release of the 2016 Blue Book of New Media, also known as the Annual Report of New Media in China 2016, compiled by the Institute of Journalism and Communication Studies at CASS.

Responding to the situation and trends of Internet development, this year’s blue book focused on the theme “Internet Plus,” highlighting opportunities, challenges and practices in new media development.

As of December 2015, the number of Chinese Internet users totaled around 688 million. The network penetration rate in China is 3.9 percent higher than the global average and 10.1 percent higher than the Asian average. E-commerce contracts have exceeded 20 trillion yuan and the Internet economy grew by 30 percent, according to the report.

The Internet has become an important platform for promoting China’s voice and enhancing its cultural soft power, Li said.

The report included detailed information about the Internet’s influence on various aspects of the economy, such as online retail, app stores and all kinds of Internet platforms for renting or taxi services, said Tang Xujun, chief editor of the blue book.

Regarding new challenges, Tang said Internet fraud and cyber crime are problems for China and almost every country undergoing rapid Internet development. Frequent information security problems and individual privacy leaks have been the public focus, Tang said.

Last year, China has reached agreements with more than 70 countries in order to address global cyber crime. Soft measures of Internet governance have been implemented, such as industry self-discipline and scheduled meetings with administrative authorities, along with hard measures, like the administrative suspension of businesses and the revocation of licenses, Tang said.

The Internet Plus initiative is driving media integration by revolutionizing modes of production while creating new business models built on the latest innovations, Tang said.

Public service media are developing in the direction of establishing new online communities as Internet platforms for government information and services are increasing, according to the report.