China had 265 million online game registered accounts as of 2009, up 41.5 percent year on year, according to a blue paper recently released by a publishing house.

The blue paper, published by China's Social Sciences Academic Press(SSAP), said more Chinese are living a lifestyle in which the Internet has become a preferred channel for them to purchase goods, seek entertainment and acquire information.

The number of China's online shoppers topped 108 million in 2009, rising 45.9 percent from the previous year, according to the blue paper.

China has the world's biggest online population, which stood at 420 million by the end of June, up 36 million from December last year.

The increase was boosted by rising cell phone connections, said a report issued by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) in July.

The SSAP is a publishing institution under the leadership of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a top government think tank.

(Xinhua News Agency October 7, 2010)