Chinese gov't seeks information on Google intentions
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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."
Google's possible retreat from China has prompted the company's 700 China staff to fear for their jobs.
"We were told that Google might quit China at a general meeting on Wednesday morning, and all of us feel very sad," said an employee with Google's Beijing office on condition of anonymity.
Drummond's post said that censorship in China and recent attacks targeting Google's services in China forced the company to make the review.
However, Google.cn was still posting this rider on its searches as of 6:15 p.m. Wednesday: "According to local laws, regulations and policies, some research results are not shown."
Drummond's post also indicated the possibility that Google may "shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China."
If Google did quit China, about 700 employees with the company's offices around China would lose their jobs, the anonymous employee said.
In a short reply to Xinhua questions Wednesday, a public relations officer named Lynn Lin said, "We are proud of our achievements in China. Currently we are reviewing the decision and hope for a resolution."
Drummond's post also said Google would try to negotiate with Chinese government for more favorable operating conditions in China.
However, the anonymous employee told Xinhua that most Google employees were pessimistic about the outcome of the negotiations.
"No agreement will be reached with both sides refusing to give in," he said.
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 bottomline," Guo said.
However, the Google case was a reminder to the government that Internet supervision could be more moderate and smarter, Guo said.
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