ABSTRACT
The growth of China’s Christian population has garnered considerable attention
from academia and media outside China, but this pales in comparison to the interest
that the growth of the internet has received in the same circles. Chinese ‘netizens’
have become a special section of the Chinese population whose opinions are
closely watched and have at times be able to elicit concessions and unexpected
reactions from the government. China’s internet users are often referred to as
though they were a homogenous group, when ultimately what unites them is no
more than the use of a very effective public medium for information, entertainment
and comment. In the vast majority of cases, this activity is non-political, but it is
undeniable that the internet has been an invaluable publishing and communication
tool for interest groups with a more sensitive agenda.
