The Internet is now an integral part of everyday life in developed countries. To meet demand for greater access at higher speeds, governments, high-tech companies and universities are now developing the next generation of Internet technology.

Internet2 will be faster, safer, and more resilient than the current Internet. With transmission speeds expectal to be 1,000 times faster it will make available a whole new range of applications, including health care, national security, distance education, bio-medical research, and engineering. University and educational institutions have taken the lead in developing Internet 2 technology, just as the current commercial Internet was evolved from educational institution networks in the 1980s.
Internationally, over 170 universities have joined hands with industry and governments to study and develop the Internet 2 project. With China in the initial stages of Internet 2 research and development, in September 2000, the foundation lent its support by donating US$10 million towards the establishment of a Future Internet Technology Research Centre (FIT) at Tsinghua University.

The Centre, which opened in December 2003 occupies an area of 30,000 sq. m. and is equipped with all the state-of-the-art research and development facilities necessary for successful completion of the project.

The Ministry of Education, which is responsible for the research projects through the China Education Research Network (CERNET), will allocate a further US$5 million. In addition to serving as the operations and demonstration centre for China's Internet 2 development, FIT will also become a base for the nation's research into other advanced technologies.

Tsinghua and Shantou University are in discussion to establish a joint Future Internet Technology Research Centre.