China Unicom Vice President Li Zhengmao has announced that his company will open another 3,000 Internet cafes by the end of the year. Unicom will directly operate 150 to 200 outlets, while the remaining 2,500 to 2,800 will be run by franchise.  

China Unicom, the nation's second-largest mobile phone service provider, already operating 400 Internet cafes throughout China, also signed a strategic agreement with China's largest online games operator, Shanda Interactive Entertainment, to provide games in the cafes.

In order to tighten controls over the Internet, China announced last year that it would introduce a chain store concept, granting permission for up to 100 companies to run the vast majority of Internet cafes.

Closures of dangerous and illegally operating cafes have been stepped up in the past year. At least 8,600 unlicensed Internet cafes have been shut down for admitting juveniles since February.

(CRI.com, China.org.cn September 14, 2004)