[LINK] More on Google and China

[rfmcdonald]

Twitter user and Globe and Mail journalist @markmackinnon has been posting a series of links to various commentaries on the Google/China dispute. One of the most interesting is the Xinhua News Agency's report, which suggests that Google's bargaining power is limited.

An official with China's State Council Information Office Wednesday said Chinese Internet authorities were seeking more information on Google's statement that it could quit China.

The high-ranking official, who requested anonymity, made the remarks in a phone interview with Xinhua, a day after Google's corporate development and chief legal officer, David Drummond, posted a statement Tuesday on the company's official blog, saying it was to "review the feasibility of our business operations in China."

"It is still hard to say whether Google will quit China or not. Nobody knows," the official said.

He refused to reveal more information, but promised to follow the case and accept more interviews if possible.

The China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center deputy director Xi Wei told Xinhua: "I am sorry I can't say anything. I am not clear about many problems in the case."

[. . .]

But Guo Ke, a professor on mass communication from Shanghai International Studies University, said it was "almost impossible" for Google to quit China and that Chinese government would not eliminate its censorship either.

"It will not make any difference to the government if Google quits China, however Google will suffer a huge economic loss from leaving the Chinese market," Guo said.

"Chinese Internet users are the real victims if Google quits China. I think Google is just playing cat and mouse, and trying to use netizens' anger or disappointment as leverage," Guo said.

Millions of Chinese are fans and loyal users of Google and its services such as Gmail, Gtalk and Picasa. Many Chinese journalists, like other users, rely on Google Docs to save useful information and contacts.

If Google quits China, all its users will have to move their e-mails and other documents and pictures in advance.

"But the government will never yield in ideology, or the bottom line," Guo said.