China Launches Restricted Business Service on WWW

A Hong Kong company controlled by China’s state-run news service launched an online service for businesses Monday, but will restrict the content and block Chinese computer users from World Wide Web sites.

The China Wide Web will be “a highly secure, highly reliable intranet,” Ma Yunsheng, chairman of the company, China Internet Corp., said Monday.

The venture will be similar to internal networks operated by many large companies around the world. Subscribers will be able to exchange business information in Chinese and English.

However, only businesses will be allowed to use the service, and content will be limited to business information. Chinese computer users will not have access to Internet sites.

The online service is part of China’s effort to use Internet technology but control its applications. The government warned computer users earlier this year that laws against pornography, social disturbances and breaches of state security apply online.

Chinese citizens can tap into the Internet via a number of servers in China, but users are supposed to register with the police. Government censors have blocked Chinese access to Web sites operated by some U.S. news agencies and human rights groups.

The China Wide Web will include news from the state-run New China News Agency, which is the majority owner of the new company. Also available will be economic news from Bloomberg Business News and Reuters, credit and market information from Dun & Bradstreet Information Services, Web sites where members can advertise, and limited electronic mail service.

The CWW will operate in Chinese, but information will be translated into English.

CIC has set up a center in Shenzhen, the special economic zone near Hong Kong, to select, translate, edit and package information for the service. CIC has said Hong Kong investors are minority owners of the company, but has not disclosed their identities.