Note 8 - Long-term Investments (Details) - Movement of Investment in and Advance to Equity Investment Affiliates	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 CNY (¥)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Balance	$ 891,000		$ 845,000
Share of (loss)/income in equity method investees	(2,000)		47,000
Investment in equity investment affiliates	20,000
Exchange translation adjustment	(51,000)		(1,000)
Impairment on equity method investments	(838,000)	¥ (874,000)
Balance	20,000		891,000
ChinaNet Korea [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Balance	0		0
Share of (loss)/income in equity method investees	0		0
Investment in equity investment affiliates	20,000
Exchange translation adjustment	0		0
Impairment on equity method investments	0
Balance	20,000		0
Shenzhen Mingshan [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Balance	461,000		466,000
Share of (loss)/income in equity method investees	(2,000)		(4,000)
Investment in equity investment affiliates	0
Exchange translation adjustment	(26,000)		(1,000)
Impairment on equity method investments	(433,000)
Balance	0		461,000
Zhao Shang Ke Hubei [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Balance	430,000		379,000
Share of (loss)/income in equity method investees	0		51,000
Investment in equity investment affiliates	0
Exchange translation adjustment	(25,000)		0
Impairment on equity method investments	(405,000)
Balance	$ 0		$ 430,000