The top-level domain (TLD) .CN is linked to the People’s Republic of China and is managed by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC). As per the protocol defined by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), each country has specific TLDs assigned to them, and for The People’s Republic of China, it’s stringently .CN.
As the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) states, a TLD is the last segment of the domain name. For instance, in the domain name www.example.cn, “.CN” is the top-level domain.
The domain .CN was launched in 1990 and as per CNNIC, by the end of 2019, .CN had been the world’s most commonly used country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the fourth consecutive year, with over 23 million users. It is used both by individuals related to China and commercial entities looking to establish a digital presence in China.
Companies often use .CN because it can increase trust with Chinese consumers, who might regard companies with .com domain less favourably than those with .CN due to concerns about fake websites or scams. Having a .CN TLD also shows businesses’ commitment to the Chinese market and can aid in local Search Engine Optimization (SEO), potentially helping local searches for the business.
Examples of sites using the .CN domain include www.baidu.cn, one of China’s most popular search engines, and www.alibaba.cn, a leading Chinese e-commerce company.
However, obtaining a .CN domain isn’t as straightforward as other country TDLs due to restrictions set by the government. As per regulations proposed by the CNNIC, the “.cn” domain name applicants may need to submit their application materials directly or through registrars. After the review and approval, the registration can be completed. Moreover, foreign companies looking to register a .CN domain must provide more rigorous proof of identity, usually by showing a registered Chinese business number or trademark.
In terms of sources, the key facts and figures about the use of .CN as a top-level domain come from the China Internet Network Information Center. The information about how top-level domains are managed more broadly comes from the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.
Sources:
- Zooknic.com’s domain name count
- CNNIC.CN, Top-level domain introduction
- ICANN.Org, Beginner’s guide to domain names
- V2hosting.cn, Registering a .CN domain
- CNNIC.CN, CN domain name registration process.
