Information Infrastructure Of China example essay topic

Report on the Information Policy of the Peoples Republic of China The purpose of this report is to examine the information policy of the Peoples Republic of China. This will incorporate information infrastructure, distribution and access to information technologies and government policy regarding the growth and distribution of these technologies. China is a vast country in terms of land mass (9.9 million sq. Km) and population (1.3 billion), these are important figures to remember when considering the relative information infrastructure when compared to other countries. What is first apparent is the massive growth in telecommunications over the last 5 years. Telephones in use (fixed line and mobile) have risen from 66.8 phones per 1000 people in 1997 to 177.6 in 2000, this is estimated at around 135 million fixed lines (2000) and 65 million mobile phones (2001) in total.

However there is an unevenly distributed domestic system that serves only the key cities and industrial centres. The national network compromises inter-provincial fibre-optic trunk lines and includes a domestic satellite system with 55 earth stations in operation. The international network makes use of 5 intelsat, 1 intersputnik and 1 inmarsat satellites giving extensive coverage over the Pacific and Indian Ocean areas. There are also several fibre-optic links to Japan, South Korea, Russia and Germany. Another area of communication that has seen massive growth is the use of the Internet. In 1997 there was merely 400,000 Internet users, this had grown to 22.5 million by 2000 and 26.5 million by 2001.

There are only 3 Internet service providers (ISP's) within the country and heavy state control and censorship over available resources and material. Figures for number of radios stands at 417 million (1997) and number of television sets at 400 million, serviced by approximately 3240 separate stations - 209 state controlled China Central Television, 31 provincial stations and around 3000 local city stations (1997 figures). Considering these figures, the communications infrastructure appears to be relatively well developed in terms of distribution of radio and television, but is still in its early stages in terms of distribution of telephone and Internet technologies. Figures such as the massive growth of the number of Internet users in the last five years may seem impressive, but in reality this development is only taking place within major cities and built up areas that are privileged to have an existing telecommunications infrastructure already in place. With an urban population of only 36.7% and much of this number in minor provincial towns and cities it is easy to see past the misleading figures and see the uneven distribution of such technologies within China. Besides the information infrastructure of China there are issues surrounding state policy regarding communications technologies, particularly issues of censorship and state control over development of new communications technologies.

China is in the position of having to make radical decisions in terms of internal government policy and the role it plays in the international community. Discarding much of its communist policy and eager to participate in the free market economy, China is looking to reap the benefits a country of its size could attain from greater international trade. However, jumping aboard such organisations as the World Trade Organisation brings with it increased pressure from external forces regarding its internal government policy, the Chinese authorities, it seems, are trying to have the best of both worlds - maintaining strict control over its citizens in classical communist style whilst opening up much of its markets to the world. Despite working with the World Bank and the World Trade Organisation, the policies of censorship and information control conflict with the rhetoric of these organisations, with specific relation to the China issue a World Bank press release stated "Free and independent media can expose corruption in government and the corporate sector, provide a voice for the people / citizens to be heard, and help build public consensus to bring about change"1, the same press release uses urges the Chinese authorities that a free press is the most suitable information policy for development saying "to reduce poverty, we must liberate access to information and improve the quality of information... people with more information are empowered to make better choices.

Free press is not a luxury for just rich countries. It is at the heart of equitable development. Institutions such as a free media that support transparency and the disenfranchised are essential". 2 It is also possible that this external pressure is nothing more than just hot air, a cosy relationship exists between the World Bank and China, in the WTO's own words; "China increasingly needs the opportunities and security of the WTO system to fulfil its huge potential for growth and development. And the WTO increasingly needs China as a full and active member to be a truly universal system". 3 What is apparent is that China has begun the long road to liberalisation.

Perhaps the compliancy of the WTO and World Bank with such an authoritarian state is due to patience, because China now relies so heavily on these agencies, "It is estimated that China's modernisation will require imports of equipment and technology of about US$100 billion annually, and infrastructure expenditures during the latter half of this decade could amount to about $250 billion". 4 eventually it will be brought into line with Western style democracy, either that or they are happy to turn a blind eye towards its internal policies. With China contributing to 5 - 10% of global trade, this is not hard to believe. China is such a vast country that it is likely to be centre stage in the future world economy, that is if it survives the process of modernisation without fragmenting. It is clear that the authorities fear democracy will lead to breakaway states and regions similar to the situation in the former Soviet Union.

It appears that they are attempting a unique model for modernisation that defies traditional theories, one in which state control over communications plays a crucial role. It remains to be seen whether this will work and if the World Bank and WTO sit back and allow this to happen, given the leverage China carries due to it size and power there is little that can be done to persuade them otherwise.