The number of Chinese-based domain names with the ".cn" suffix is
expected to climb enormously in the near future after the Ministry
of Information Technology eases its rules at the end of next month.
The ministry made public a new regulation on Thursday in an effort
to spur on China's Internet development and ensure its information
security.
Liu Zhihong, director of the China Internet Network Information
Centre (CNNIC),
said the relaxation of the regulation would provide much easier and
quicker access for domain name applicants. After September 30,
qualified applicants will have domain names approved within six
hours of their online registration.
Presently,the process takes up to five days.
"It will take less time than the registration of foreign domain
names," said Liu, adding that foreign domain name providers would
have guaranteed registration within 24 hours of their
application.
According to the new regulation, the cost of using a domain name
will be decided by the Internet market, instead of information
authorities.
At
the moment, every ".cn"user is hit with an annual charge of 300
yuan (US$36).
"Generally, the charge will come down," Liu said.
A
ministry official, who did not want to be named, said the policy
change was made because of concern over China's Internet
development. China first made public its regulation about domain
names in 1997.
"Now the situation has changed a lot and the policy will also be
adjusted," Liu said.
Domain names in China have become hot property. Statistics show
that up to about 90 per cent of China's users have registered
".com" or ".net" domains.
Domain names with the ".cn" suffix have grown from just above 4,000
in 1997 to about 126,000 by the end of June. But Liu estimated
there were about 700,000 domain names in China with the ".com" or
".net" suffix.
"The situation is not beneficial to China's information security
future," Liu said.
Since domain names, as invisible assets, are becoming as important
as trademarks and brand names, awareness about them should be
raised, the official said.
Liu said the new regulation would ensure a complete mechanism for
domain name management and supervision.
The ministry is China's highest Internet authority.
The CNNIC, a neutral, non-profit-making organization, which is
authorized and led by the ministry, is responsible for the daily
management of domain names.
(China Daily August 17,
2002)