Inside China Today

Inside China Today – Thursday 21st January

Google's withdrawal from China has drawn a vast response worldwide. Sun Weiguang praises their decision.

- Chinese dissidents condemn cyber attacks on Google
- Sun Weiguang praises Google’s decision

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Chinese dissidents condemn cyber attacks on Google

Chinese dissidents have come out to condemn the recent cyber attacks on Google, calling it a block on human rights. Since Google’s revelations, many dissidents have stepped forward admitting to similar attacks on their email accounts.

Guizhou-based democratic activist Mo Jiangang said his email accounts had been tapped. Here’s what he had to say to reporters (recording):
“Around June 4th each year, and also when we organised a human rights forum on December 10th, our emails, including G-mail, would either be inaccessible, or read by unknown parties.”

Associate Professor Jiao Guobiao from Beijing University also runs into frequent problems with his email. He said (recording):
“Sometimes the emails I send are returned. After a while, maybe a few hours to a few days, it would return to my mailbox. Sometimes the message would fail to send straight away. Especially when Xiaobo was being sentenced, the emails I sent returned, tagged as undeliverable, after one or two days.”

Liu Xiaobo is a human rights advocate who was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment last December.

Cyber surveillance on dissidents is widespread. Many human rights or democracy advocates have experienced similar styles of attacks. Including former Shanxi Television editor Ma Xiaoming; human rights lawyer Zhang Jiankang; and the wife of well-known human rights advocate Hu Jia.

Mo Jiangang condemned the attacks as a violation of human rights. He said (recording):
“We praise Google for taking action, because it refuses to comply with some of the regime’s policies. I think Google has done very well, because it has struck back against the CCP’s wicked policies. And it’s working to ensure freedom of speech and privacy is not compromised. I think they’ve done this out of their conscience. Of course we lament their withdrawal from China, but we firmly support Google’s choice of action. If every website can do this, then the Chinese Communist regime has no way to violate every person’s freedom of speech.”

The announcement made by Google has nevertheless raised concerns among the 384 million netizens in mainland China. Using Chinese-based search engines entails more restrictions. Jiao Guobiao said (recording):
“Actually, they’re two sides to this. After it leaves, there may not be another company that can do as much as they’ve done. If every one of them, such as Google and Sohu, all leave, search engines based outside of China would no longer settle here, and China would be abandoned. It would put the Communists in isolation, but the information available to Chinese people [would be further reduced]. The scope of information and the search engines provided by Xinhua News can’t compare to what Google can provide.”

The current dispute between Google and the Chinese Communists has entered its second week. The US government has evidence related to the cyber attacks on Google, and plans to enter discussions with the regime over the matter.

Daniel Teng; Tian Xi of the SOH Radio Network.

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Zhong Weiguang foresees good business for Google

On the 16th of January, a prominent overseas scholar, Mr. Zhong
Weiguang, gave SOH an interview about Google’s potential withdrawal from the Chinese market to protect the interests of its customers. Mr Zhong said Google’s decision not only won hearts of the Chinese public but also secured long-term business gain.

According to Mr Zhong, Google’s honest actions went a long way to enhance its reputation and brand, which will create greater business value in the future.

He said, “Google has now won trust from the Chinese people. It actions have established a very good reputation. In the long run, a totalitarian system will not last. It is obvious that in the course of change, Google stood by the people. Even though Google may lose some market share allowed by the authorities in the short term, it has won hearts, reputation and branding in the future. Google has set a very good example for other companies.”

The Google incident has been a shock to the entire system.
As a result, many political and business leaders in the west are starting to re-evaluate their cooperation with China’s Communist regime. According to Mr Zhong, the international community must uphold its principles.

Mr Zhong said, “The law in every Western country regards human rights as the most important tenet. Does this principle need to be observed when doing business in other countries? Apparently yes, because the principle is universal. Google has upheld this principle.”

Mr Zhong was very much encouraged by Google’s decision.
He states, “Everyone is very heartened by Google’s announcements, which showed that Google respects the bottom line commonly recognized in the Western society. People from China along with everyone in the world with a sense of justice are behind Google. In my opinion, Google has set a good example for other companies.”

Finally Mr Zhong called upon all foreign businesses in China to think about their long-term reputation and to make the right choice. Only in this way can they truly advance in the future.

Tang Yin, Wang Zhen and Perry Luo of the SOH Radio Network.

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