China's online population reached 751 million this June, up 2.7 percent from the end of 2016, which accounts for 25 percent of the global netizens, according to the latest statistics released by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) on Friday. 

A total of 724 million Chinese now used mobile phones to go online, accounting for 96.3 percent of the online population, said the CNNIC in the 40th China Statistical Report on Internet Development. 

It is a 1.2 percent increase from 95.1 percent by the end of 2016.

Mobile users are increasing rapidly in China. /VCG Photo

China's mobile app market is booming in the first half of 2017. Not only are the service categories of mobile apps expanding rapidly, but also is the number of Chinese netizens using mobile apps in daily life increasing.  

Mobile food delivery services saw the biggest rise in users, reaching 274 million, a 41.4 percent increase from six months ago, the report said. At the same time, the number of mobile payment users rose to 502 million.

Mobile payment has been an important consumption way for Chinese people. /VCG Photo 

The number of users preferring online shopping increased by 10.2 percent, suggested the data. At the same time, a total of 274 million Chinese netizens ordered food online by mobile, which was a 37.9 percent increase, up ten percent compared to the end of 2016.

Because of the booming development of AI technology, the number of users preferring online education in China climbed to 144 million in the first half of 2017. Meanwhile, the market of bike-sharing in China saw a big increase as well – a total of 106 million Chinese users are using bike-sharing apps.  

(With input from Xinhua)