CRI听力: Zhongguo Domain Name to be Adopted

A global internet governing body has approved top-level Chinese domain names using the suffix ".zhongguo" in both simplified and traditional Chinese characters.

With the expected mass adoption of Chinese domain names, industry insiders say it will bring convenience to Chinese-speaking internet users and serve to promote Chinese language and culture.

Wu Jia takes a closer look.




Chinese internet users have to frequently switch from a Chinese character input method to an English input method when surfing the internet.

This kind of inconvenience is caused by the fact that Chinese language websites adopt domain names using the Roman alphabet rather than Chinese characters.

But the China Internet Network Information Center says internet users will be able to use Chinese domain names to log onto Chinese websites this year.

Qi Lin works with the national internet governing body.

"The Chinese character domain names are easy for Chinese netizens to memorize. A domain name with the suffix of ".zhongguo" can directly highlight the Chinese characteristics of Chinese websites. For example, Chinese people can immediately remember the domain name of 'renminwang.zhongguo' and know what it means. But people cannot easily tell what people.com.cn is about."

Qi Lin says the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, a global internet governing body, has just approved the top-level Chinese domain name ".zhongguo". He says Chinese websites can now apply at his center to register Chinese domain names.

Ma Yan, from the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, sees an important benefit in the upcoming use of Chinese domain names.

"The adoption of Chinese domain names will establish a clear image of the Chinese language on the internet. It will also facilitate the promotion of Chinese culture around the world via the internet."

Chinese internet regulators have long promoted the use of Chinese-language domain names. The China Internet Network Information Center submitted the application for the ".zhongguo" domain name to the global internet governing body last November.

For CRI, I'm Wu Jia.