2024 marks the 30th anniversary of China’s full access to the Internet. Over the past 30 years, the Internet has profoundly changed the way people work and live, driving social transformation.
Recently, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of China’s full access to the international Internet, the “Chronicle of the Origins and Development of China’s Internet Network Infrastructure Technologies” (https://share.gmw.cn/topics/2024-04/22/content_37278070.htm, hereinafter referred to as the Chronicle) was released under the guidance of the China Internet Association. The Chronicle selects and records 123 significant events and figures that have played a crucial role in promoting China’s Internet network infrastructure technologies from perspectives such as technological innovation, application, operation, and governance.
Among all the events involved, the China Education and Research Network (CERNET) has the highest number of selected projects, reaching 38, accounting for 31% of all entries in the Chronicle. The following analysis will focus on the contributions of various related organizations and the categories involved in the Chronicle.
From the perspective of contributing organizations, there are 28.5 entries from national-level institutions, 1 from provincial-level institutions, 19 from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 34 from the CERNET team, 25.5 from operators, 5 from equipment vendors, and 10 from other institutions and enterprises (Calculation method: the total number of the same project is counted as 1, divided by the number of cooperating units to obtain the score for that item. For example, if a project involves two units, each is counted as 0.5. Additionally, events related to the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) before 2014 are classified under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, while those after 2014 are classified under national-level institutions).
Table 1 Distribution of the Number of Events in the Chronicle of the Origins and Development of China’s Internet Network Infrastructure Technologies (by Contributing Units)
(Note: The proportion is the total number divided by the total of 123, with percentages retained to two decimal places)
From the perspective of categories, there are 33 items related to network construction and operation, 20 to technology research, 18 to technology standards, 15 to international cooperation, and 37 to policies/significant events.
Table 2 Distribution of the Number of Events in the Chronicle of the Origins and Development of China’s Internet Network Infrastructure Technologies (by Category)
(Note: The proportion is the total number divided by the total of 123 after duplicates, with percentages retained to two decimal places)
From a purely technical perspective (selecting 73 technology-related items), there are 25 events related to IPv6, 10 to domain names, 19 to Internet connections, 9 to routing, 4 to email, and 6 to other technologies.
Table 3 Distribution of the Number of Events in the Chronicle of the Origins and Development of China’s Internet Network Infrastructure Technologies (by Technology)
(Note: The proportion is the total number divided by the total of 73 after duplicates, with percentages retained to two decimal places)
From the perspective of the China Education and Research Network (CERNET), there are 8 items related to IPv6, 12 to network construction, 8 to international cooperation, and 10 to other related items (Calculation method: of the 38 items related to CERNET, some content is in collaboration with others, counted as 1 item).
Table 4 Distribution of the Number of Events in the Chronicle of the Origins and Development of China’s Internet Network Infrastructure Technologies (CERNET-related)
(Note: The proportion is the total number divided by the total of 38 after duplicates, with percentages retained to two decimal places)
Appendix: 38 CERNET-related Items Selected for the Chronicle
1. Tsinghua University and other universities adopted TCP/IP and X.25 technologies to build the national Internet backbone network.
In early July 1994, the “China Education and Research Network (CERNET)” experimental network built by Tsinghua University and five other universities was opened. This network adopted TCP/IP and X.25 technologies, connecting Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanjing, and Xi’an, and interconnecting with the Internet via the NCFC international exit. This experimental network was the first to adopt a two-layer architecture of national backbone network and campus access network, providing a model for the subsequent design and management of the national backbone network.
2. Launch of the China Education and Research Network (CERNET) project.
In August 1994, the National Development and Reform Commission officially approved the “CERNET Project Proposal.” On November 2, the National Development and Reform Commission formally approved the “Feasibility Study Report of the CERNET Demonstration Project.” The project was hosted by the Ministry of Education, with construction undertaken by ten universities including Tsinghua University, Peking University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Xi’an Jiao Tong University, Southeast University, South China University of Technology, Northeastern University, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and University of Electronic Science and Technology.
3. Chinese experts initiated and participated in the Asia-Pacific Internet address resource management organization.
In January 1995, CERNET sent representatives to attend the first meeting of the Asia-Pacific Network Information Center (APNIC) held in Thailand, becoming one of the founding members of APNIC.
4. CERNET opened domestic and international channels for the backbone network.
In June 1995, the CERNET backbone network DDN channel connecting Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Shenyang, Xi’an, Wuhan, and Chengdu was opened, with a speed of 64Kbps. CERNET also achieved interconnection with NCFC. In July, CERNET opened its first international channel to the United States, with a speed of 128Kbps.
5. CERNET opened a national Internet backbone network using TCP/IP and DDN technologies.
In December 1995, the “CERNET Demonstration Project” as a national computer interconnection network operating the TCP/IP protocol completed its construction one year ahead of schedule. The CERNET demonstration project established a backbone network connecting eight regional network centers across the country and directly connected to the Internet, establishing a national network center, eight regional network centers, and two main nodes, with 108 universities connected.
6. The first international internet standard drafted by experts from mainland China was published.
In March 1996, the Chinese character unified transmission standard led by Professor Hu Daoyuan from Tsinghua University was published by the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) as RFC1922, becoming the first Internet international standard recognized by IETF that involved technicians from mainland China.
7. The national “Ninth Five-Year Plan” major project “Key Technologies for Computer Networks and Applications” was launched.
In October 1996, Tsinghua University, Peking University, and 14 other universities and research institutions undertook the national “Ninth Five-Year Plan” major project “Key Technologies for Computer Networks and Applications.” This project focused on key technologies and equipment in six major areas of Internet technology, including network management and operation technology, network and information security technology, network interconnection and routing technology, network design and testing technology, network information discovery technology, and typical network application technology, filling domestic gaps in areas such as network management systems, routing engines, firewalls, and search engines.
8. The first expert from mainland China served as an executive director of APNIC.
From 1997 to 2001, Li Xing, then deputy director of the CERNET network center and a professor at Tsinghua University, served as an executive director of the Asia-Pacific Network Information Center (APNIC), becoming the first expert from mainland China to hold this position.
9. CERNET accessed the international IPv6 test network using tunneling technology.
In April 1998, CERNET used tunneling technology to build the CERNET-IPv6 test network. In June, it officially connected to the international IPv6 test network 6Bone, and in November became a member of the 6Bone backbone network.
10. CERNET-6Ren accessed the international IPv6 commercial testbed.
In May 1999, CERNET officially connected to the international network 6REN (IPv6 Research & Education Networks) that provides IPv6 production services.
11. The project for China’s high-speed interconnection research test network NSFCNET was launched.
In 1999, the National Natural Science Foundation of China launched the major joint research project “China’s High-speed Interconnection Research Test Network NSFCNET.”
12. The first Sino-US Advanced Network Technology Symposium was held.
In June 1999, the first Sino-US Advanced Network Technology Symposium (CANS) was held in Washington, USA, hosted by the Sino-US Network Association and co-organized by the CERNET network center, the Computer Network Information Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the University of Maryland, and the Association of Chinese in America. Subsequently, CANS was held alternately in the US and China every year, and by 2017, it had held eighteen sessions, promoting high-level academic exchanges in Internet technology and applications between China and the US.
13. The first network emergency response team in China was established.
In September 1999, the first network emergency response team (CCERT) in China was established. CCERT provides rapid response and technical support services for network security incidents for member units of CERNET and offers related consulting services for security incident responses to other network users.
14. China established a commercial IPv6 testbed.
In 2000, with the support of Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, the Telecom Research Institute of the Ministry of Information Industry, China Telecom operators, CERNET, and international collaborators BII (Tian Di Lian Information Technology Co., Ltd.), relying on the infrastructure of data centers, established an IPv6 commercial testbed connected to the largest international IPv6 test network 6Bone.
15. China signed a cooperation and interconnection agreement with the US Next Generation Internet organization.
In March 2000, CERNET signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US Next Generation Internet Research University Alliance (UCAID) to connect to the high-speed academic network Abilene, which connects over a hundred universities in the US. In May, CERNET, CSTNet (China Science and Technology Network), and NSFCNET (the high-speed interconnection research test network funded by the National Natural Science Foundation) further signed a memorandum of cooperation with UCAID.
16. China built an exchange center connected to the international next-generation Internet.
In September 2000, Tsinghua University built the China Next Generation Internet Exchange Center (DRAGONTAP). Through DRAGONTAP, CERNET, CSTNet, and NSFCNET connected to the next-generation Internet exchange center (STARTAP) in Chicago, USA, and the Asia-Pacific high-speed network APAN exchange center in Tokyo, Japan, using 10Mbps lines, thus achieving interconnection with international next-generation networks such as Abilene, vBNS, CA*net3.
17. The acceptance of the China High-speed Interconnection Research Test Network NSFCNET was completed.
In July 2001, the major joint research project “China High-speed Interconnection Research Test Network NSFCNET” approved by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, undertaken by Tsinghua University, the Computer Network Information Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Peking University, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, and Beihang University, passed the identification and acceptance. It established a high-speed computer interconnection research test network based on Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) optical transmission technology, with a transmission rate of 10Gbps, achieving connection with the international next-generation Internet Internet2, providing necessary means and experimental environment for China to actively participate in international next-generation Internet research programs.
18. The “Sino-Japan IPv6 Cooperation Project for Next Generation Internet” was launched.
In 2002, the “Sino-Japan IPv6 Cooperation Project for Next Generation Internet” was launched. With the joint leadership and support of the former National Development and Reform Commission and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, CERNET and the Japan Communications Industry Association respectively undertook the construction of the “Sino-Japan IPv6 Cooperation Project for Next Generation Internet.” It established the Sino-Japan IPv6 test network IPv6-CJ connecting Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, researching key technologies for network management based on IPv6, key technologies for network systems such as routers based on IPv6, developing major applications based on IPv6, and formulating related standards for IPv6.
19. The China Next Generation Internet Demonstration Project (CNGI) was launched.
In 2003, the China Next Generation Internet Demonstration Project (CNGI), jointly initiated by the National Development and Reform Commission and eight other ministries, was officially launched, marking a new era in China’s IPv6 development. Academician Wu Hequan was appointed as the head of the CNGI Expert Committee.
20. The large-scale Internet backbone network CERNET2 using pure IPv6 technology was opened.
In December 2004, CERNET2, the largest academic core network in the CNGI demonstration network built by Tsinghua University and 25 other universities, was officially opened, making it the largest pure IPv6 next-generation Internet backbone network in the world. The opening of “China’s first next-generation Internet backbone network” was rated as one of the top ten scientific and technological advances in China in 2004.
21. Tsinghua University successfully developed an IPv6 core router.
In 2004, Professor Wu Jianping’s team at Tsinghua University successfully developed an IPv6 core router, which has dual protocol stack capabilities for IPv6/IPv4, becoming the first domestic router to pass the Ministry of Information Industry’s IPv6 core router network access testing specifications (draft).
22. Tsinghua University proposed a source address validation architecture.
In 2005, supported by the national “863” project “Research on Key Technologies and Application Demonstration for Trusted Next Generation Internet,” Tsinghua University began researching the issue of IP source address validation, proposing the Source Address Validation Architecture (SAVA). It embeds scalable user network identity information into real IPv6 addresses through algorithms, associates real user identity information, and constructs an integrated IPv6 address management and tracing system.
23. IETF released an RFC on Softwire.
The research team at Tsinghua University proposed a transition technology for IPv4 over IPv6 mesh architecture, designing and implementing an IPv4 over IPv6 system based on dynamic non-explicit tunnels, providing an important solution for the construction of pure IPv6 backbone networks and accelerating the transition to IPv6. In July 2006, it promoted the establishment of a dedicated working group on Softwire within the IETF. In July 2007, the IETF RFC4925 on Softwire was approved, leading to a series of international standards for this technology.
24. Scholars from mainland China served as the first chair of an international Internet academic organization.
Since 1999, CERNET has participated in the Asia-Pacific Advanced Network (APAN), dedicated to the collaborative development and research of Internet technology and applications in the Asia-Pacific region. On August 31, 2007, at the 24th conference of APAN held in Xi’an, Professor Wu Jianping from Tsinghua University was officially appointed as the chair of APAN, marking the first time a Chinese scientist held the chair of an international Internet academic organization. In 2019 and 2021, Professor Wang Jilong from Tsinghua University was again elected as the chair of APAN.
25. The first official IPv6 website in Olympic history was launched.
On May 30, 2008, the official IPv6 website for the Beijing 2008 Olympics, jointly built by the Olympic Organizing Committee, CERNET, and Sohu, was officially opened. This was the first time in Olympic history that an official website utilized IPv6, representing an important IPv6 demonstration application for China on a global scale.
26. The Internet real source address validation system became an international standard.
The source address validation architecture SAVA proposed by the research team at Tsinghua University promoted the establishment of a dedicated working group on SAVI within the IETF in May 2008. In June 2008, IETF RFC5210 was approved, leading to a series of international standards for this technology.
27. The summary conference of the China Next Generation Internet Demonstration Project was held.
On December 3, 2008, the “Summary Conference of the China Next Generation Internet Demonstration Project (CNGI)” was held at Tsinghua University, hosted by the National Development and Reform Commission and organized by the CNGI Expert Committee (Chinese Academy of Engineering), with support from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and National Natural Science Foundation. The conference exhibited significant breakthroughs in next-generation Internet research and industrialization, which was listed as one of the top ten scientific and technological advances in China in 2008.
28. The first expert from mainland China received the “Jonathan B. Postel Award”.
On July 28, 2010, the Internet Society (ISOC) awarded Professor Wu Jianping from the Department of Computer Science and Technology at Tsinghua University the “Jonathan B. Postel Award” in Maastricht, Netherlands, in recognition of his contributions to the advancement and development of Internet technology in China, which have had a significant impact on global Internet development. Professor Wu became the first expert from mainland China to receive this honor.
29. The Internet international standard for IPv4/IPv6 translation technology led by experts from mainland China was published.
In October 2010, RFC6052 was released, proposed by Professor Li Xing from Tsinghua University and the IVI research team, which is a new generation of Internet international standard for IPv4/IPv6 translation transition technology. This series of technologies has become one of the core technical standards for transitioning to IPv6 single-stack.
30. The IETF conference was held for the first time in mainland China.
From November 7 to 12, 2010, the 79th IETF conference was held in Beijing, hosted by Tsinghua University and co-organized by the China Internet Association and the China Internet Network Information Center. Over 1,200 participants, including many internationally renowned Internet technology experts, founders of various Internet technologies, and scholars and engineers from 65 countries and regions, attended the conference, marking the first time in history that an IETF conference was held in mainland China.
31. Scholars from mainland China ranked second globally in the number of RFCs drafted.
After the 79th IETF conference held in Beijing, domestic researchers from Huawei, Tsinghua University, China Mobile, and other institutions participated comprehensively in the drafting of RFCs, surpassing countries like Japan and Germany to become the second highest in RFC publications, especially in the drafting of IPv6-related RFCs.
32. Experts from mainland China were elected to the IETF Internet Architecture Board for the first time.
In March 2013, Professor Li Xing from Tsinghua University was elected to the Internet Architecture Board (IAB), the top organization of the IETF, which consists of 13 members, becoming the first member from mainland China.
33. Experts from mainland China were inducted into the “Internet Hall of Fame”.
In June 2013, Academician Hu Qiheng from the Chinese Academy of Engineering was inducted into the “Internet Hall of Fame” of the Internet Society (ISOC), becoming the first Chinese expert to receive this honor. Subsequently, in April 2014, researcher Qian Hualin from the Computer Network Information Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was inducted, and in September 2017, Professor Wu Jianping from Tsinghua University was inducted, followed by Professor Li Xing in December 2021.
34. The “Top Ten Events Commemorating 20 Years of Full Internet Access in China” was released.
In August 2014, at the closing ceremony of the China Internet Conference, the China Internet Association released the results of the “Top Ten Events Commemorating 20 Years of Full Internet Access in China”.
-
China fully accessed the international Internet.
-
CERNET and ChinaNet were opened successively.
-
The State Council issued Order No. 195 to standardize network management.
-
State key news websites like People’s Daily went online, and the Internet became a new channel for communication between the government and the public.
-
China.com and others went public overseas.
-
The China Internet Association was established.
-
The State Council officially launched the “China Next Generation Internet Demonstration Project” – CNGI (China Next Generation Internet).
-
The total number of Internet users in China surged to the world’s highest.
-
Tencent’s market value exceeded $100 billion, and the international influence of China’s Internet companies increased.
-
The Central Cybersecurity and Informatization Leading Group was established.
35. CERNET joined MANRS as a founding member and implemented all four actions.
In November 2014, CERNET joined MANRS (Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security) proposed by the Internet Society as a founding member, implementing routing filtering, anti-fraud, communication and coordination, and global verifiability actions.
36. The Future Internet Testbed Infrastructure (FITI) backbone network was opened.
In April 2021, the Future Internet Testbed Infrastructure, a national major scientific and technological infrastructure, opened its high-performance backbone network. FITI supports large-scale future Internet experiments with 4096 independent autonomous domains, connecting 40 core nodes distributed across 35 cities, with a maximum bandwidth of 200G, becoming one of the largest Internet test facilities in the world.
37. The IETF SAVNET working group led by experts from mainland China was established.
In June 2022, Tsinghua University and China Telecom promoted the establishment of the IETF SAVNET (Source Address Validation) working group.
38. The world’s first 1.2T ultra-high-speed next-generation Internet backbone channel was opened.
On November 13, 2023, the world’s first 1.2T ultra-high-speed next-generation Internet backbone channel was announced to be opened at Tsinghua University. This channel connects Beijing-Wuhan-Guangzhou, spanning over 3000 kilometers, and was successfully developed in collaboration with China Mobile, Huawei, and Cernet.
Source: China Education Network
