China on Monday launched its national Internet TV station, China Network Television (CNTV).

The online station currently includes three major channels of news, sports and entertainment and an online community where users can upload self-made video content and communicate with each other.

With five overseas mirror sites, CNTV now covers countries and regions including Europe, North America, Southeast Asia, Middle West and Russia.

Mainstream media must actively expand themselves to new media area to improve their capacity of communication, said Li Changchun, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, at the opening ceremony.

Li said that establishment of the station is a major landmark event for China's traditional media in their effort to advance into online media. It will help to promote the construction of a modern communication system of wide coverage and advanced technology in the country.

The online station is wholly owned by China Central Television.

(Xinhua News Agency December 29, 2009)