Hao Hao ReportThe best China news and blog posts

On the last working day of 2007, China's Ministry of Information Industry (MII) and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) jointly issued the Administrative Provision on Internet Audio-Visual Program Services. According to the Provision, online video business operators have to obtain programming permits from the authority or perform required procedures. Companies applying for internet audio-visual service permits must be "legal persons, fully state-owned or state ownership-controlled, with no law breaching records in the prior three years".

China's President Hu Jintao announced in January plans to "purify" the Internet. Today, one of China's most prominent government censors said that the ruling Communist Party will introduce new laws to crack down on blogs, podcasts, and internet video.

The 88s describes a personal friend of his that works for the internet police in Beijing. Then a long debate follows in the comments about whether it is moral to have friends like this.

In the spirit of drilling down the dynamics of the Internet in China , Trendspotting has published a data filled, action packed slideshow “Handbook of Online China” on the eve of Beijing Olympics inauguration.

According to estimates from the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), Beijing research firm BDA and the online market anlayst Nielsen/NetRatings, China has overtaken the US in the number of internet users at around 220 million. These numbers were estimated based on the online growth of 53.3% in 2007. The number on online users is expected to reach 280 million or more by the end of this year.

A new study of Internet users aged 16 to 25 from both the US and China shows that China is far ahead of the US in Internet "addiction".

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chinese Internet users are more likely to depend on their online experiences, and see the Web as a key to socializing and sharing opinions, than their U.S. counterparts, according to a study released on Friday.

Of China's more than 120 million Internet users, 43 percent are using online message boards, 76 million are using online video sharing sites and 24 percent are using blogs. Social media is alive and well in China, says CIC CEO Sam Flemming. CIC is the leading Internet word-of-mouth consulting firm in China. But is it a culture one where listening is promoted, and relationships are encouraged? How do companies "do" social media in China? What works best for American companies trying to use social media in China?

China's President Hu Jintao had a brief online chat with members of the People's Daily's 'Strong Country' online forum this morning.

The whole chat lasted about four minutes. President Hu answered three questions asked by three netizens. The three questions were:

1. Do you use the Internet?
2. What do you do on the Internet?
3. Netizens have put up a lot of suggestions about the country; do you read them?

Mineral mining company, Admax Resources has recently changed its name to China YouTV Corp. The move is to reflect the company's growing interest in the online video sharing industry.

You heard right: mineral company enters online video sharing industry...

The Duck's got a good commentary on the news. Check it out.