China could become the first country to classify internet addiction as a clinical disorder - similar to compulsive gambling or alcohol addiction.
Chinese psychologists have drawn up new guidelines on internet addiction, and China's health ministry is likely to adopt them next year.
China has the world's largest online population at 253 million people.
A top Chinese legislator said in August that about four million of China's web users under the age of 18 are addicted to the internet.
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Recent research showed that 42% of Chinese youngsters felt "addicted" to the web, compared to 18% in the US.
