China plans to make its top-level domain, .CN, available for open registration on December 31, 2002. The domain name registrars offering these new .CN domain name registrations have stated that the new domain name registrations would give companies the ability to reach the mass population of Chinese consumers. The recent addition of China to the World Trade Organization is being touted by these registrars as a sign that the Internet market in that country should become increasingly attractive to businesses.