BEIJING, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- The number of internet users in China hit 1.1 billion by December 2024, up 16.08 million from the previous year, according to an industrial report on the country's internet development released on Friday.

The report by the China Internet Network Information Center revealed that internet penetration in China reached 78.6 percent in 2024, 30 years after the country was fully connected to the global internet.

China now boasts the world's largest internet infrastructure, equipped with advanced technologies, driving the rapid growth of its digital economy, according to the report.