ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses what Chinese Internet-based business means in an economy and society that are undergoing fundamental changes. It explains why Chinese online companies have, to date, developed much faster than in the rest of the world, analyses the strengths and weaknesses of Chinese companies and explores how Western companies might take advantage of this tidal wave or shi. The concept of 'connection' or 'criss-cross circulation network' is embedded in Chinese culture, affecting its social, economic, health, transportation and military systems. The emergence of Internet business eliminates the distance between buyers and sellers. In China, most Internet companies have taken the form of 'Internet +', that is a company has started from an online business, then taken over traditional businesses or built new offline shops to outdo existing offline retailers. Internet users were concerned about security in e-commerce and 36.8 per cent about after-sales service.
