The final competition of China's internet gaming 2004 has been delayed to late December as Beijing and Shanghai have already begun the internet gaming. The gaming is seen as one of the measures the central government has taken to lead the internet games to a healthy direction.

Two months after China's internet gaming 2004 was launched, the organizing committee told reporters that most of provinces in China have begun the gaming, but the final competition has been delayed.

Speaking at a press conference, Chang Yanting, vice minister of Information Industry, president of the Organizing Committee of China Internet Gaming 2004 says the internet gaming is a green game and healthy game.

Instead of simply blocking internet activities, it's better to give guidance to the youth to play games online. Internet gaming is a good way to stimulate youth and children's interest online and encourage them to grasp modern technology. Chinese government advocates such kind of activity.

It's well-known that Chinese government is determined to crack down on internet pornography and phone sex activity. But Chang Yanting says the government supports internet gaming since it's helpful for enlightening young people's intelligence.

This year, there are 32 competition regions including one in Hong Kong and Macao. In the past two months, two thirds of the regions have been preparing for the competition.

The main wide band internet gaming is fire task.

Last year, China has formally included internet gaming as the 99th competition item in China's sports.

Meanwhile, the famous sports garment company BS sports has sponsored the 2004 internet gaming. Thus the gaming is called BS sports China Internet Gaming 2004.

The organizers believe that the game has surpassed the technical meaning to upgrade it into a social cultural phenomenon which advocates healthy intelligence.

The market share of the internet games amounts to 1.3 billion yuan or US$150 million, increasing by 50 percent from last year.

The participants of the gaming are mainly young people who are aged between 15 and 33 years old.

It's predicted that the number of the participants for the game will increase from 13 million in 2003 to 42 million in 2007. The first internet gaming started in 2002.

The gaming is considered both healthy sports and recreational.

Experts hold that the gaming is a combination of recreational activity and sports, digital software and marketing with electronic competition.

The gaming is not only supported by the government, but also by many internet portals and software operators.

(CRI August 18, 2004)