China will lift its ban on new Internet caffs

BEIJING MEDIA report that Chinese government agencies will soon welcome new Internet café applications again following a year-long ban.

In early 2007, 14 government ministries had jointly issued a request that no more netcafés be approved.

Reportedly the new licencing procedures will be more convenient to encourage the development of the netcafé industry, particularly for multiple locations and chain franchise operations.

China is sitting on a demographic powderkeg following its "one child per family" policy a couple of decades ago that resulted in unfortunately prevalent female infanticide. Now China's population includes millions of urban young men whose chances of finding a wife are slim. Chinese Internet cafés help the government maintain order by offering the youth social entertainment and distractions.

No specific schedule for the resumption of netcafé licencing has been reported. µ

L'INQ
China Tech News