China's e-business trade volume in 2008 witnessed a year-on-year increase of 20 percent despite a gloomy economic environment, said market research firm IDC.

According to a white book issued by IDC on Jan 4, the trade volume of the country's e-business increased from 1.61 trillion yuan in 2007 to 1.95 trillion yuan in 2008, in which individual consumers contributed about 30 percent.

China's biggest e-shopping platform Taobao recorded a trade volume of 100 billion yuan in 2008, compared with 43.3 billion yuan in 2007, show figures from the white book.

The white book predicts China's e-business volume will hit 3.22 trillion yuan in 2010.

Meanwhile, the number of Chinese people trading on e-business platforms increased from 4 million in 2004 to 35.5 million by the end of 2007. The white book said the number in 2008 reached 50 million, and will double to 100 million by 2012.

(China Daily January 5, 2009)