In the coming three years, the business volume will rise 115 percent annually, according to figures released by the China Institute of Electronics and Information Development.

The business volume of Internet games exceeded 300 million yuan (about US$36.2 million) last year, an increase of 52 percent over the previous year.

The number of Internet users in China reached 45.8 million by the end of June this year, among whom 18.6 percent play on-line games frequently.

The popularization of broad-band service, currently being enjoyed by 2 million Chinese people, has also sped up the development of Internet game industry.

(Xinhua News Agency September 3, 2002)