Now if only Google would apply this same moral sense to their illegal publishing of copyrighted works.

Website stats are interesting, I get a lot of hits from China. Even some from North Korea. Probably just bots but still nice to know they are still alive in there.

"When I think about it, this really puts things in perspective. There have been complaints that New Zealand lacks freedom of speech. Think New Zealand is bad?"

Maybe not that bad, but heading in that direction little by little! Infact we have a better spying network than China already and there's only 4 million of us

I think it was a mistake to launch a censored version in the first place. Google should make a stand for free, uncensored access to information. Whatever happened to Google's "do no evil" policy.... They didn't want to miss their slice of the action in China like everyone else I guess.

It's about time someone stood up to China. No one wants to point out their human rights issues because they're concerned about offending the top dogs in the biggest market in the world. But at some point we'll have to make a stand, because China's power and influence is growing rapidly. For example if we boycotted Chinese goods imagine the influence that could have on their domestic and international policy.

I wish the two mainstream NZ political parties would grow spines on this issue...

@ Free internet (#3): "For example if we boycotted Chinese goods imagine the influence that could have on their domestic and international policy. I wish the two mainstream NZ political parties would grow spines on this issue..."

Sorry to say it, but the affect on China would be tiny whereas the the affect on NZ would be quite significant. China is simply too big to boycott on a national level, for economic reasons. A boycott, at a personal level, of products that are Made in China or made by companies that are part-owned by 'China' would be close to impossible...

If enough of us did it - not only in NZ but in the rest of the Western world - it could have an impact. China's economy depends on exporting goods to the West. And the west has to stand up for democracy, feedom of speech and expression and human rights and not bow down to authoritarian regiemes. It's amazing what some will do to make a few bucks though. Amazing and sad.

@Justice (2) Perhaps the technology behind our spying is a little better (not sure on the facts), but in terms of sheer numbers, we have to concede, I'd say. China's internet police are estimated at 30,000. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2005/jun/14/newmedia.china#article_continue

LA

So Mr Free Internet, you think if everyone boycotted Chinese goods then the Chinese government and economy would collapse? You are aware, I take it, that the Red Army is one of the largest employers in the world, and certainly the largest armed force? How do you think the Chinese govt. (bolshie at the best of times)would react to a boycott like that? Do you get big sticks and poke sleeping bears in your spare time? War is a great economy driver.....

Anyway, change in China will only come once the people realise that they're being taken advantage of by the rest of the world, and start demanding fair wages and working conditions, and flat screen plasma tvs. Until the flames of consumerism are lit, then the jug of communism will not boil over.

If China went to war with the West it would be an apoclyptic, Mutually Assured Destruction type scenario. Troop numbers count for nothing when the great powers have nuclear weapons.

@Free Internet.

They aren't interested in going to war with the West. They are subjugating the US the old fashioned way - by Stealthy Avalanche of Ludicrous Exports (SALE).

China owns the US. If China called in the bonds that they have bought to shore up the US economy the country would bankrupt immediately.

In return the US buys everything China produces in consumer goods and China makes trillions of dollars. The US is bleeding to death through fantasy investing by major banks and its ongong wars of attrition for oil. The US is going down and without China to take it's place the global economy would be going down with it.

Free Internet, you obviously have no grasp of modern military tactics, or human nature. Why would they push the button? They're not suicidal, and then there would be nowhere to invade. Nuclear weapons are a last resort to the people who have them, not the first port of call.