Chinese Internet: Commerce and control

Grumbling about China’s slow Internet speeds is a national pastime, but few were expecting Li Keqiang, the Prime Minister, to join in. “I have visited some developing countries that have faster internet connections than Beijing,” he said with evident exasperation during a committee meeting of the country’s largely ceremonial legislature in March. It was the first time this problem had been publicly acknowledged by such a high official -- and crystallised a dilemma facing China’s leaders. As economic growth begins to sag from double digits to what Mr Li calls a “new normal” -- 7 per cent GDP growth expected in 2015 -- the government is talking up the power of the Internet to transform the economy and avoid a hard landing.