When was the term “wangmin” coined, and how did China’s cyberspace evolve from the first-generation of netizens to today?
If you are reading this on any internet-surfing device, then July 8 is a special anniversary for you: On this day in 1998, the China National Committee for Terminology in Science and Technology (CNTERM) introduced the term wangmin (网民, “netizen”) to refer to the country’s fast-growing population of internet users, forever changing the way publications like TWOC have referred to public opinions in China.
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Shihuan Chen is a contributing writer at The World of Chinese. She is passionate about covering lively and untold stories in China, especially from a human-centric perspective. Her other writing can be found on Sixth Tone, Esquire China, and other media platforms.
