The trend in China is toward tighter and tighter control. They are basically improving their censorship mechanisms.

As in Pakistan, Tunisian and Egyptian human rights activists are concerned that any censorship mechanisms, once put in place, will inevitably be abused for political purposes no matter what censorship proponents claim to the contrary.

Citizens' rights cannot be protected if their digital activities are governed and policed by opaque and publicly unaccountable corporate mechanisms.

There is clearly a constituency that appreciates the message that Google is sending, that it finds the Chinese government's attitude to the Internet and censorship unacceptable.

Every year in China, Internet executives are officially rewarded for their 'patriotism.'

Many of the Kuomintang elite in Taiwan have relatives among the ruling elite here on mainland China.