The Ministry of Information Industry (MII) plans to expand broadband service to to more than 95 percent of China's villages this year.

The MII said that some of the eastern and central provinces will have all their townships and villages covered by broadband service by the end of this year. Currently, 92 percent of China's villages have broadband connetion.

While 99.5 percent of villages already have access to telephone links, the ministry also promised on Sunday to expand telephone service in the rural areas.

Xinhua reports that last year, China's internet population rose by 73 million. Of that figure, 40 percent lived in rural areas. The growth in the number of rural internet users, which grew by 127.7 percent year-on year, outstripped that of urban internet users.

At the end of 2007, China had 210 million netizens, of which 122 million are broadband users.