Broadband connections to boost rural online commerce

Rural areas will be the next battlefield for e-commerce giants as the State Council, China's Cabinet, looks to promote online shopping by providing faster internet connections to remote locations.

The government will invest more money in establishing rural broadband networks, which in turn will facilitate the exchange of industrial products and agricultural goods between urban and rural areas, according to a statement issued by the State Council's executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang last Wednesday.

It is part of a program that aims to integrate the internet with the logistics sector, thereby reducing costs, increasing profits, stimulating consumption and boosting employment, the statement said.