If you try to know how many Chinese are “Internet users”, welcome to the fuzzy world of Chinese data. Today reading 3 newspapers I got 3 figures, all “official”:
203 or 230 or 253 million – with 10.7 million bloggers (excluding myself).
It’s the same like trying to know how many people live in Beijing Municipality.
The municipality covers 16,400 sq km, with only 6,000 sq km “exploitable”. According to local authorities we are approaching the “saturation limit” of 18 million – we are now at 16.3 million. Take that as usual with a grin. Nobody explains if yes and how the huge migrant population (4 to 5 million?) or/and non-hukou holders are included. Of course now that the Olympic venues are built and the real estate frenzy is cooling, many construction workers will probably have left, or will. All depends what is to be included – some use the yardstick of “visitors staying longer than 6 months”.
My best guess is still: close to 20 million grand total.