Internet adoption rate in rural China 2014-2024

Throughout the past few years, there has been a steady progression in rural China’s internet infrastructures. By June 2024, the internet penetration rate in rural areas in the country stood at 63.8 percent, yet, remained lower than the national level. The internet coverage in urban regions reached 85.3 percent.

The leaps in Chinese telecommunications

Since the 1990s, China has seen a rapid development of telecommunications, mainly driven by the introduction of fiber-optic systems and digital technologies. The Chinese government had been keen on building more telecommunication infrastructures. Between 2014 and 2023, the number of 4G mobile base stations saw a dramatic increase. The internet connection has been extensively expanded to public places. It is also worth noting that the download speed of fixed-line broadband in China has been upgraded substantially.

Unleash the rural internet power

Yet among the 477 million rural population in China, a third did not have access to the internet in 2023. To provide more affordable internet services, measures have been carried out in Chinese villages and small towns to reduce service rates and extend the broadband connection. In June 2024, around 28 percent of internet users were living in rural China. With the enhancement of internet coverage in the countryside, the Chinese online community will see plenty of growth.