China's microblog user population tops 300 million

China now has more than 300 million registered microblog users, according to statistics released Monday at the 11th China Internet Media Forum in the central province of Hubei. With a theme of promoting the development of Internet media and the prosperity of online culture, the forum kicked off in the city of Wuhan on Monday. The two-day event has attracted about 300 officials, experts and Internet media managers. At about 485 million, China has the world's most Internet users, and it also has the world's largest Internet infrastructure, said Zhang Xinsheng, an official with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The country has seen a boom in its microblog sphere over the last two years. While the microblog is about self-expression and networking, it has also evolved into a platform for advertising, government services, and news dissemination. Qian Xiaoqian, deputy head of the State Council Information Office, said China is facing a new challenge in considering how to regulate its microblog sphere in order to promote the development of microblog services and create a civilized online environment.