The first Internet Conference of China (ICC) will be held from October 29 to 31 in Shanghai, in east China.

The ICC, sponsored by the Internet Society of China (ISC), will have its theme as "Internet development crossroads: Which way for growth for China Internet."

The conference will attract internet operators and service providers, scholars and business leaders from home and abroad.

During the three-day meeting, the plenary meeting of members of the ISC and a forum for leaders of Internet enterprises will also be held.

The ISC confirmed that internet firms from the European Union, Britain and Japan will send delegations to the meeting.

By the end of last year, the internet population on the Chinese mainland hit 33.7 million and as many as 12.54 million computers had been linked to the Internet.

(People's Daily April 27, 2002)