Honestly, I’m speechless in the face of the news that Google will likely abandon the Chinese market. First some photos, and then a few thoughts from me below. I feel such sadness and disappointment for the Chinese people. They deserve to have access to the same resources and information that most people in the world have…so as to pursue their individual hopes and dreams.
Set from Flickr user Junyu Wang (王俊煜):
Flowers on the sign:
Candlelight vigil:
Photographers and people gathering around:
Google headquarters at night:
Aeriel view from the building earlier in the day:
From Twitter user bonnae come some photos (source on img.ly):
Some more photos at Tinypic user foku:
I actually planned to send flowers today, not to Google, but to the Haitian Embassy.
I have a friend who’s an employee at Google. I don’t know what she would do. She and her colleagues umped through hoops – rounds and rounds of written tests and interviews and group interviews – to get their jobs there.
But according to Google’s statement – “We want to make clear that this move was driven by our executives in the United States, without the knowledge or involvement of our employees in China who have worked incredibly hard to make Google.cn the success it is today” – didn’t it suck to be that friend of mine? Suddenly losing her job without her prior knowledge.
It should be 中国海地贸发办, not the embassy.
Tell her to contact me. I’d love to hire some of the great people at Google! I’m sure she will have many options.
Nice pictures of support you’ve posted there, Elliott.
If the rumours I allude to in my response to wooddoo have any foundation, some of the reasons for China wanting Google to remain in the country are not the purest.
I would stress, however, before knee-jerk respondents start foaming at the mouth, that I believe the vast majority of ‘please don’t leave us’ sentiment is genuine. Unfortunately, it only takes one or two malevolent hackers with a CCP agenda to slip through the net and Google’s operation is effectively compromised.
First, your friend will only lose her job if the Chinese government refuse to ease up on their draconian restrictions and craven sense of fair play.
Second, there is a suggestion (read comments on imagethief’s take) that some Google employees in China are actually the source of the alleged cyber-hacking, and that Google premises in China are also the origin of industrial espionage efforts on the other side of the Pacific. Highly plausible in my humble opinion, and a good explanation of the strong White House response. If Google have been compromised to that degree the only business choice is to leave China.
Third, go ahead and send those flowers. That would be a nice touch.
I share the same shock, sadness and disappointment. It clearly reminds us again: no matter how bright the China’s future seems to be and how much more freedom the Chinese people are enjoying compared to the past, mainland China is still a Totalitarianism country.
Wayland, thanks. I am just bummed about this, especially given my strong interest in China and my feelings of fellowship with the Chinese people.
Shame on China. The world was shocked and will not support censorship of the internet or Google.
Actually both France and Germany censor the Internet for certain items.
That’s incorrect. They will prosecute you if publish certain items, but they won’t filter the Internet so you can’t get to them.
Actually I know for sure that France does “filter” search results, but they unlike China notify the user that the results have been filtered due to their legal system. If you’d like to see for yourself just type google.fr and then scroll to the bottom.(e.g. search for swastikas) Hope that clears things up.
Google, the greatest propaganda tool the West ever devised, rightfully ousted from the Asian Empire – America! We face the 5th cycle of purificzation and all we have to show for ourselves is the Corvette car and foreclosed mortgages on a population fed bull Shiite all these years, educated to continue our owners will on the population of the world! The Intelligentsia of China have studied us, and judged us correctly as xenophobes Hell bent on hegemony! We even believe our own bull Shiite! China does not need this distortion of reality rammed down their throats! We would do much better without it ourselves! America disfigured by capitalism, corporatism, and deserted by humanity as unsustainable folly! Nany more live on much mess in China and find satisfaction in their lives, sustainability too! The elderly population a testment to this! Our Elderly die in gilded cages alone and apart from family to make way for the corporatists pressures, for ROI the God of America! This is what China fears!
I think china is making a big mistake dont go to war with google I my self will stop buying anything made in china until they start acting civilize nin this new world of internet I know u have power china but u can t take the world and the world is starting to really see u open your internet to your people what bare u afraid of
Uhh, that means you can’t buy shit. Everything is made in china.
In case anyone is under any illusions what Google and others are up against: http://shar.es/aRZ44
Apparent evidence of how the CCP infiltrated Google:
http://www.zonaeuropa.com/201001b.brief.htm#012
Seriously, what were the odds?
As this unfolds, I am sure the story will become more and more interesting.
ceo@chinafirstcapital.com
First I am with Google all the way I my self stop or have try my best to avoid buying anything from china, I need it a new computer and for the first time dint buy a dell or a hp computer I bought and MSI computer made in India and wrote hp and dell about it and if Google has to leave china I am going to start a new campaign to spread the word around all over as much as I can I know china is big but they cant take the world it is time for them to open the Internet for their people with out any censorship. Now I heard today that maybe what happen was an inside job and I am sure china has secret agents inside Google I think Google needs to look inside and clean house too.
A gourp people with no brains………a brilliant goverment should arrest all of you—who knows nothing to politics——pity jokers…….==–great china, long live china! long live republic! long live communist comrade !!!!!
Aha, another NEOCON propaganda! It seems that all the military-complex vested-interests are badly in need to create a strong enemy to justify getting the big portion of money, esp. amidst the current deep economic difficulties.
After the USSR, now it seems those in power there are targetting on the rising China. Chinese people in particular, Asian in general, just beware of such imperialism, usually carried out in “DIVIDE & CONQUER” tactics!!
The political leaders in USA are so getting used to have their wishes go unchallenged in the world stages. But now they feel upset with the firm stance of China, a stance that will not always go in line with their own interests!
In reality they don’t really care who are their allies indeed as long as they serve their vested interests. The allies in fact comprise of many despotic rulers and totalitarian regimes with absolute and corruptive powers.
In the case of China, the USA is much annoyed that China will not simply act and cooperate as told. The USA is not yet ready to accept and live with the facts of a NEW CHINA…a strong and powerful China! A China that does not hesitate to say ‘NO’ (cf. Japan that always acts in subordination to America).
You don’t feed people with the propagated democracy values and freedom as twisted by those political leaders of the USA.
Just see the case of India and Indonesia…where exist a rampant corruption and extreme disparity between the few rich and the vast majority of poor people! What to be proud of the so-called ‘democracy’ and ‘freedom of speech’? The political leaders there are only giving one speech to another…leaving the poverty problems unsolved! They just fool their own people with such illusion of freedom while leaving out the majority with total incapacity economically!
And when they try to impose such propagandas upon Chinese people, they simply ignore the very facts about how the lives of many HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of Chinese people are uplifted from the poverty…in a gigantic size that has no precendence before.
But why wonder? Do they really care that lives of several hundreds of millions of Chinese people are much improved?
Does it matter to them? NO, it’s a purely statistic figure. And because you won’t listen and act as i tell you, you are a bad guy! That’s what those inhabitants in white house and capitol hill perceive China today!
It’s up to the American people and leaders how they will perceive and interact with a new, strong and powerful China in an unprecedented developments! Like it or not, they better adjust and behave themselves to coexist peacefully with a new China!
AND STOP GIVING ORDERS! It’s absolutely not a BIG BROTHER vs. a small kid relationship, neither a dominant vs. subordinate one!
You can’t tell lies and misinformation from time to time and expect other people to remain fooled to buy in….
If only the Americans will learn the new reality and accept it gracefully then a peaceful, friendly and beneficial relationship will prevail.
Shingo YASUMURO
yasumuro@nagase.co.id