China has 872m online payment users: report

BEIJING - The number of online payment service users in China had reached 872 million by the end of June, according to the latest statistical report on China's internet development.

The report, released by the China Internet Network Information Center, said online payment users accounted for 86.3 percent of the country's total netizens.

The number of online shoppers in China hit 812 million, or 80.3 percent of the total internet users, it noted.

According to the report, China has seen steady progress in improving rural access to the internet, as the internet penetration rate in rural areas had increased to 59.2 percent by the end of June.

Livestreaming e-commerce has played a vital role in propelling the sale of farm produce in rural areas, the report added.