Pacific Epoch report -- "China added 5.33 million new broadband Internet users from January to May 2005, according to statistics released by Ministry of Information Industry (MII) on Tuesday. At the end of May, China had 30.18 million broadband Internet users. From January to May, revenues from China's telecommunications industry totaled 232.81 billion Yuan, up 10.9 percent year on year. China gained 44.78 million telephone users from January to May to reach 692 million total users. The number of fixed line users increased by 21 million to reach 330 million users and the number of mobile phone users increased by 23.73 million to reach 360 million users. From January to May, 114.78 billion SMS messages were sent in China, up 36.9 percent from the same period in 2004."
Technology is a compelling catalyst for economic growth across the globe. Artificial intelligence (AI) rides a seismic wave of transformation in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region — a market bolstered by bold government initiatives, swelling pools of capital, and vibrant tech ambition. The latest IDC analysis sheds light on this dynamic market. Despite a contraction in deal volumes through 2024, total AI venture funding surged to an impressive $15.4 billion — a signal of the region’s resilience and the maturation of its digital-native businesses (DNBs). Asia-Pacific AI Market Development The APAC AI sector’s funding story is not just about headline numbers but also about how and where investments are shifting. Even as the number of deals slowed, the aggregate value of investments climbed, reflecting a preference among investors for fewer but larger, high-potential bets on mature or highly scalable AI enterprises. The information technology sector led the AI investment charge. Top area...