There are now 97 million broadband users in China, the world's second highest figure after the United States, said Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Zhao Houlin in Beijing on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Broadband World Forum Asia, Zhao said that by the end of 2005, 74 percent of world broadband users were located in developed countries followed by 17.5 percent in China.

The number of domestic broadband subscribers has hit 50 million-- 30 million for China Telecom and 20 million for China Netcom.

China now has 144 million netizens, Zhao said, up from 123 million netizens last June, according to an earlier report.

(Xinhua News Agency June 6, 2007)