China now has 265,000 Chinese language websites, and during the January-June period this year the number of Internet users reached 26.5 million, an official from the Ministry of Information announced Thursday.

Speaking at a working conference in this capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Song Ling, the official, said that with the rapid development of the country's information construction and network service buildup, over 500,000 homepages and over 3,000databases have emerged.

China has accelerated infrastructure, technology innovation, and development of resources in its information industry in recentyears. Rapid expansion of E-commerce, distance education, and on-line stock trading have helped stimulate this growth.

Song stressed that during the 2001-2005 period, China will concentrate on developing broadband multi-media, and create and use new information resources.