A QQ number was auctioned off for a record 260,000 yuan (US$31,200) on a domestic Web site Friday.

　　A Daily Sunshine report said a man from Shanghai, a big fan of online chatting, won the bid for the number, 88888, for instant Internet messenger, QQ, for 260,200 yuan, the highest price for an Internet messenger number.

　　The Web site said it had raised 2.8 million yuan through the first round of auctions, including the number 88888 and another six "valuable" numbers, and all the money would be donated to Red Cross Society for tsunami-hit countries.

　　Like the well-known international instant messenger ICQ, QQ has become popular in China in recent years and it is becoming more difficult to register a favorable number.

　　The number, 88888, which is regarded as a very lucky number among Chinese because its pronunciation is close to that of fortune, was said to belong to Ma Huateng, CEO of QQ supplier, Tencent.

　　The winning bid would not only be entitled to use the number for life, but would also be eligible for other favorable policies using QQ messenger, Ma said.