The 2nd Shanxi Internet Conference commences in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi province, on Aug 2. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]

Rural netizens in Shanxi province numbered 8.56 million in 2016, growing 28.2 percent year-on-year to reach 14.7 percent higher than the national average.

A 2016 report of internet development in Shanxi was released at the 2nd Shanxi Internet Conference in the provincial capital of Taiyuan on Aug 2, showing a fast growth of internet use in the rural area.

Many internet companies are surging rapidly, providing rural e-commerce platforms and online payment services. Their business models vary according to market demands, ranging from B2B and B2C to O2O.

The government has also worked on the construction of internet infrastructure to make internet a new force in poverty alleviation.

Shanxi Lecuntao Internet Technology, a leading rural e-commerce platform in Shanxi, had 1.94 million users at the end of 2016, ranking third in the province. Its business covers 13,000 impoverished villages around China, creating more than 3,000 jobs for rural residents.