| 1993 | Vice-premier Zhu Rongji proposes
creation of Golden Bridge Project as a public economic information
network. Government authorizes US$3 million to support preparation phase
of the project.
State Economic Informatization Joint Conference is created under chairmanship of Vice-premier Zou Jiahua. |
| 1994 | State Council announces "Three
Golden" Projects, marking the initiation of Golden Bridge construction.
China Telecom signs agreement to open two 64Kbps Internet links (via Sprint), one from Beijing and one from Shanghai. |
| 1995 | China Telecom opens Internet connections to US, and begins offering Internet access to general public. Also begins creating CHINANET national backbone. |
| 1996 | State Council Informatization
Leading Group (and its office) created, replacing the Joint Conference.
Convenes meeting of backbone networks and ISPs to discuss "regularization"
of networks' management.
CHINANET nationwide backbone opens to traffic, starts providing services throughout China. State Planning Commission formally approves first stage of Golden Bridge Project and lists it as one of the major projects for the 9th Five-Year Plan. China Golden Bridge Network (CHINAGBN) establishes 256Kbps connection to US; announces GB Information Network, primarily for dedicated-line services. "Temporary Regulations for Management of China's Information Networks Linked to Internet" issued by State Council. China Public Multimedia Communications Network (169NET) launched, with three web sites, including Guangdong Look-Listen-Communicate and Shanghai Online |
| 1997 | State Council-convened National
Informatization Work Conference meets in Shenzhen, agrees on goals,
policies, priorities and approaches for China's informatization, and proposes
State Internet Information Center and Internet Exchange Center. (China
Network Information Center, CNNIC, subsequently established within
CAS; issues first report in November.)
Informatization Leading Group stipulates domain-name registration procedures; approves "Implementation Methods for Temporary Regulations for Management of Computer Networks on the Internet." Ministry of Public Security promulgates "Management Methods for Security of Computer Networks on the Internet." CHINANET links to the three other backbone networks. |
| 1998 | Ministry of Information Industry
created, to "promote informatization of national economy and social services."
China Internet Security Products Testing Center approved by Informatizatoin leading Group. CHINANET's phase 2 backbone project begins construction, aiming to link "eight major regions" with bandwidth of 155Mbps, and upgrading to higher speed routers. |
Source: "China Internet Development Chronology," www.cnnic.net.cn/internet.shtml. Last accessed 12 July 2000.