Business hours for net bars could be expected to open later under a revised national law on net bar management to be announced soon, said Chen Wei, director general of the municipal culture bureau on a phone-in radio program Tuesday.

Under the current law, all net bars must close at midnight and the new law will extend closing time to 2 a.m.

"However, no matter how long the business hours, minors are forbidden to enter net bars," Chen said in reply to a call from a Ms. Chen.

"Some of our customers complained that it was not convenient for them to communicate with their friends or relatives abroad because of the time difference. They want longer business hours," said Ms. Chen.

A short message from a mobile phone said there were illegal net bars in Mumian Village in Buji, Longgang District, which interrupted the normal life of residents there. Short mobile phone messages also reported illegal net bars in Nanling Garden, Buji and Niuhu Village, Guanlan, Bao'an District.

"There are so far more than 310 net bars in the city. Since last year we have implemented strict policies to control the increasing number of net bars. However, we noticed that in some areas with a large population of migrant workers, there were few net bars," said Chen.

"We are thinking of building some net bars in these places this year to allow no chance for illegal ones. We will spare no time to crack down on illegal net bars."

A resident also called to ask what qualifications were required for net bar applications.

To open a net bar, one should have no less than 1 million yuan (US$120,000) start-up money and no less than 10 million yuan for a chain of net bars. Those whose business licenses had been revoked could not apply within five years. Net bars should be 200 meters from schools. A net bar should have no less than 60 computers **with a distance of three meters between each, said Chen.

Calls from residents also focused on libraries.

"We are making efforts to link our libraries with those in the Pearl River Delta area, Hong Kong and Macao through the Internet before the year 2006, which will mean people can borrow and return books at any of the Internet-connected libraries," Chen said.

With a new library in the new city center in Futian District to be opened in the latter half of this year, most of the Reading Month 2005 activities would be held there.

"There will be also voice reading rooms for the blind in new library to service the handicapped," Chen said in response to a Mr. Dai.

Shenzhen tops other inland cities in the number of libraries with 434, 387 of which are in residential communities.

Source: Shenzhen Daily