A nationwide sampling survey shows 38 percent of households in China's provincial capitals and municipalities owned computers by the end of 2001, a hefty rise over the 27.6 percent a year earlier.
The survey, jointly conducted by 31 poll agencies across the country, received responses from 13,550 people aged between 15 and 69.
The survey showed that of the cities, Beijing had the highest percentage of computer ownership, while the percentage in Lhasa was the lowest.
It also indicated that 76 percent of home computers in these cities were connected to the Internet, mostly via the telephone line.
According to the survey, one fifth of the households still without a computer plan to make the purchase in the near future.
(Xinhua News Agency April 19, 2002)
