BEIJING - Paris-based Viadeo, Europe's largest business-oriented online social networking platform, is expecting a rapid increase in its membership in China in the next one to two years.

"China's professional networking industry is to speed up development later this year and continue booming in the next two years," said Lin Tinghan，CEO of tianji.com, which was purchased by Viadeo in 2008 as part of its plan to expand its business to the emerging economies.

Unlike traditional social networking platforms, such as facebook, which are mainly about developing personal relationship, professional networking platforms focus on building professional relationship and looking for career opportunities.

Founded in 2005, tianji.com has nearly six million registered users and is the leader of China's professional networking industry.

"At the end of 2010, we added about 100,000 new members each month. Currently, that number jumps to 180,000," said Lin, expecting an exposive growth later this year but declining to reveal his target.

Tianji.com is regared as an important part of Viadeo, which was founded in Paris in 2004 and has over 35 million members worldwide in 2010.

That membership number looks good, but Viadeo still has a lot to do to catch up with US-based LinkedIn, the operator of the world's largest online professional network. LinkedIn has more than 100 million members in over 200 countries and regions.

The American firm pulled in US$243 million in revenue in 2010, a growth of 102 percent over that of 2009. It plans to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange this year.

In response to news that Viadeo also plans to lauch an IPO in the near future. Lin said the move is still under consideration.

"Many world renowned venture capital companies have been contacting us. We are ready for an IPO but we are still weighing the pros and cons," he said.

He added that the large population of Internet users in China offers a huge advantage once Viadeo decided on an IPO.

"Viadeo has the money and we have the market. No investors can resist that," Lin said.