an English-language daily for effective and better international communication.” (ZHU Yinghuang, editor-in-chief of China Daily, personal communication, 2000). And the China Daily Group has, since its launching, become the most dominant newspaper in China. 2.1 China Daily Group As the first and only national English-language newspaper in China, China Daily started with the financial support from government. However, after 20 years, the Daily has now grown into the only financially independent English newspaper group with eight publications including China Daily, China Daily Hong Kong Edition, China Daily Web Edition, Business Weekly, Shanghai Star published in Shanghai, Beijing Weekend and Reports from China as well as the 21st Century, an English education weekly designed to promote the use of English and the understanding of world current affairs among those who are learning and speaking English (see Case Study). Its financial independence may have benefited from its editorial policy of being not only informative but also educational to its readers. With a distribution of 300,000 copies in 150 countries and regions every day, including 250,000 copies domestically, 35,000 in North America and Europe and 15,000 in Hong Kong, China Daily has surely become one of the most influential information sources in English in China and a center for learning English as well. It has so far become the most cited English-language media by foreign media in China and also one of the few English media in China that can influence the English elite in the world, including the decision-makers, lawmakers, money-makers in government and business (China Daily brochure, 2000). China Features, the edition published together with Washington Post in the United States, has been well received among the elite American readers since its publication in November 1995 (Li, 1997:122). 2.2 Regional English-language Media: The major regional English-language media often emerge in big and coastal cities and can basically be divided into three categories (including daily and weekly): The first kind focuses on comprehensive news and reporting while the second kind stresses more on English education. The third kind, mostly English tabloids, concentrates on life style and entertainment, some of them with complimentary distribution, and sometimes even a combination of both. Shanghai Daily published in Shanghai, Shenzhen Daily published in Shen Zhen and Guangzhou Morning Post published in Guangzhou can all fall into the first categories. Launched on October 1, 1999, the 8-page Shanghai Daily is the first regional English-language daily in China that targets foreign and local population in Shanghai (Shanghai Daily brochure). The 8-page Shenzhen Daily, inaugurated on July 1, 1997, is the only English newspaper in the economic zones in China (Shenzhen Daily website) while the 12-page Guangdong Morning Post, which also started publication on July 1, 1997, is the first English newspaper in South China). These newspapers mainly cover local news and serve the foreign and Chinese population in the region. Their circulation may vary from 20,000 to 40,000 copies (Nanfang Net website). As the foreign population is on the rise across China (now Beijing and Shanghai have about 100,000 ex-pats and five million foreign tourists (LIN, 2001), regional English newspapers, mostly tabloids, start to turn to life style, fashion and entertainment. Beijing Weekend and Shanghai Star, both sponsored by China Daily, are the earliest newspapers that devote to entertainment for regional foreign readership. Of course, nowadays, the competition is becoming fierce as more foreign-funded English tabloids such as City Weekend and Metro began to emerge in Beijing (LIN, 2001). Beijing Today, an English weekly, which started publication in mid May, 2001, will surely add to the keen competition of the English tabloids in the capital (Sina website). 2.3 Newspapers for English Learning Besides the English newspapers at the regional level, China also has a number of English tabloids that basically target English learners. The 21st Century targets readership like university students while Shanghai Student’s Post, English Weekly and Learning English, all launched in the early 1980s, are targeting readers from primary school students to middle students. Except for 21st Century, they mainly focus on English learning content that is relevant to the English textbooks used in primary and middle schools in China. English Weekly published in Shanxi Province claims to have 3.8 million English readers (English Weekly website) who are studying for entrance exams for high schools and universities. But despite their large circulation, this kind of newspapers basically limit their influences to language learning and are not commonly known among readers other than English learners. Case Study of 21st Century To achieve a quantitative perspective of how English learners in China are making use of English media for English learning, the writers have selected 21st Century for a net survey at the 21st Century website (http://www.21stcentury.com.com). The reasons for selecting 21st Century for the net survey are (1) It is an English education weekly devoted to promoting the use of English and the understanding of world current affairs among those who are learning and speaking English (Nie Lisheng, editor-in-chief of 21st Century, personal communication, 2001). In addition to some easy-to-read materials and feature columns on English usage, the tabloid also provides the most up-to-date reports on current issues in business, science & technology, culture, as well as social affairs in China and around the world.; (2) 21st Century is sponsored by the China Daily Group, the largest English-language newspaper group in China; (3) With a circulation of about 500,000, the 16-page weekly claims to be the most popular English language publication among the English learners in China (21st Century broc

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