DNS - Reports: Negotiations Stall between Google, Chinese Government

Negotiations between Google (News - Alert) and the Chinese government regarding censorship and the Internet search giant’s future in that country have apparently stalled, according to published reports.

As a result, Google has reportedly developed a plan to phase out its search engine in China, as offered through its subsidiary, Google China.

Google established Google China (Google.cn) in 2005 when it agreed, albeit reluctantly, to allow the Chinese government to filter searches. But allegations of a cyber attack on the search engine’s servers in January originating from China and allegedly involving Chinese hackers strained the already tepid relationship between the two entities. Shortly after the attacks Google officials stated that they wanted the Chinese government to end the censorship -- or else the company may end up shutting down its search engine in China.

 

Even if Google suspends operations of Google.cn that doesn’t mean it will be pulling out all of its operations out of China – where it offers other products and services – nor does it mean that future negotiations regarding search are off the table.

“It’s very important to know we are not pulling out of China,” Eric Schmidt (News - Alert), Google’s chief executive, said in January in a Financial Times report. “We have a good business in China. This is about the censorship rules, not anything else.”

Meanwhile Google advertisers in China are already being asked to switch to rivals, according to reports.