China’s Internet Population to Double US and Japan Combined by 2015
So we received a really interesting research report about China digital space from Boston Consulting Group. I have gone through the report several times, and there are many breathtaking numbers. But the charts that caught my attention are the ones below. One of which estimated that by 2015, China will have nearly twice the number of internet users as U.S and Japan combined.
The most recent internet user count released from Chinese officials stands at 513+ million users, and that figure is surely higher now. BCG estimated that the figure will break 700 million by 2015. In contrast, Japan and the U.S are estimated to have a combined total of 360 million internet users.
BCG also notes that in 2011, Chinese consumers spent a whopping 1.9 billion hours a day online, an increase of 60 percent from two years earlier. Much of the growth in internet user count will be by fueled by older and rural residents. Internet user count under the “senior Chinese citizen” (over age 51) is estimated to double by 2015 to 81 million.
BCGはまた、2011年の中国の消費者のインターネット利用時間は1日当り19億時間という途方もない長さであり、その2年前より60％伸びていることにも着目している。インターネット・ユーザ数の伸びは、多くが中高年や地方在住者によるものだ。「高齢中国市民」（51才以上）に分類されるインターネット・ユーザ数は、2015年までに2倍の8,100万人になると推定されている。
BCGは、中国消費者は、なんと一日に、19億時間もオンラインに費やしており、2年前に比べ、６０％も増えていると示している。インターネットユーザー数の増加は、高齢者と、農村部にする人々によって加速すると見られている。（51歳を超える）”高齢中国人”のインターネットユーザーの数は、2015年までに、2倍の8,100万人になると見積もられている。
Young Chinese also trust internet sources more than any other media. And this, to some extent, explains why the Chinese government is so uptight with internet censorship in the country. The last couple of months have provided no shortage of drama: the real-name registration saga, Sina and Tencent Weibo got punished for spreading rumors, and the recent internet blackout in China (which annoying caused our own team some downtime). The reason of the blackout is still unknown despite the many hypotheses that are circulating.
On China’s internet usage, entertainment and social networking (games, music, downloads, weibo, QQ) is still the number one reason why Chinese get sucked into the web. On average a Chinese internet user spends more than three hours consuming online videos. Instant messaging is also at three hours each week. In comparison, an average Chinese user spends just 1.1 hour on email each week. Weibo-ing and social networking activities accounts for 1.7 hours of an average user’s time each week. Weibo has been growing like a weed over the past few years.
BCG recorded a 376 percent growth in Weibo usage since 2008 but it remains to be seen how Sina and Tencent will react and recover from the real-name registration requirement set by the government. Right now the rules aren’t strictly followed by both internet giants.
E-commerce also saw a huge leap with a whopping 152 percent growth since 2008. The growth isn’t just from big players like Alibaba Group and 360Buy. Over the course of the year, we’re seeing vertical e-commerce stores like Lamiu, Mbaobao.com, VIPShop, and the hundreds of group-buy sites spurring online purchase in China too. It is also important to note that group-buying is really a competitive business in China and none of the players have claimed to have turned a profit. IPO plans from Meituan, one of the bigger group-buy players was also stalled.
BCG also conveniently segments Chinese internet users in eight different groups. So business development and marketing folks, here is some handy information to make segmenting and targeting a little easier:
In summary, the internet realm in China is huge and still growing. This is, by now, a pretty cliched statement, but there’s really no other way to put it. And everyone, whether they are domestic or international players, wants a piece of the action! We encourage you to click over to BCG’s site and check out the report in its entirety to find out more.
まとめると、中国のインターネット世界は巨大で成長し続けている。これは、今となってはかなり陳腐な表現だが、この他に言いようがない。そして、国内専門企業あろうと海外進出をしている企業であろうと、誰もがこの中国市場から恩恵を得たいと思っている。だから、ぜひ、BCGのサイトにアクセスして、このレポートの全容を見てさらなる情報を得て欲しい。
要約すると、中国のインターネット分野は、巨大で、未だ成長を続けている。今まで、これは決まり文句であった、しかし、これ以外に言い表しようが無いのである。国内、国際的な企業にかかわらず、誰もが、恩恵にあやかろうとしているのである。もっと多くのことを知る為に、BCGのサイトに行き、それにあるすべての報告に目を通すことを、我々は、あなたに、強く奨励したいのである。
