China's e-business trade volume in 2008 witnessed a year-on-year increase of 20 percent despite a gloomy economic environment, said market research firm IDC.

According to a white book issued by IDC on Jan 4, the trade volume of the country's e-business increased from 1.61 trillion yuan in 2007 to 1.95 trillion yuan in 2008, in which individual consumers contributed about 30 percent.

China's biggest e-shopping platform Taobao recorded a trade volume of 100 billion yuan in 2008, compared with 43.3 billion yuan in 2007, show figures from the white book.

The white book predicts China's e-business volume will hit 3.22 trillion yuan in 2010.

Meanwhile, the number of Chinese people trading on e-business platforms increased from 4 million in 2004 to 35.5 million by the end of 2007. The white book said the number in 2008 reached 50 million, and will double to 100 million by 2012.