Getting linked in is the 'next big thing for China's IT market'

China's top internet players said at a Shenzhen forum on Sunday that bridging online services with traditional brick-and-mortar industries, enabling people-centred mobile online services, as well as industry platforms were among the mainland market's next big things.

The country's IT industry boasted an 11 per cent increase in revenue last year to 14 trillion yuan (HK$17.7 trillion), according to the latest report released by the Federation of Digital China IT at the China IT Summit held in the southern city.

And the government is hoping that the sector will help restructure the country's economy.

Yang Yuanqing, chairman of China's top PC maker Lenovo, said the next stage for internet development would be about connecting people, linking up devices such as in "smart homes", as well as internet platforms like taxi apps.

"More services will be digitised," Yang said, citing the provision of social security services, which are often disconnected between provinces despite people's increasing mobility.

Pony Ma, chairman of internet giant Tencent, said connecting the internet with traditional industries could be the mainland market's next big opportunity.