Dear cecil,
Do people in China have access to internet. Very curious to know since no freedom of speech or press in China. If yes, is it regulated by the chinese government. Thanks.

Dear Anon,
1. If it is the rural China, where electricity is scarce, the internet is in my opinion `non-existent' as yet.
2. Most of the internet access are found in the cities.
Usually, it came more as a need rather than a `choice'.
Because of global competition, access, first started with companies especially foreign ones that require internet access.
3. China is gradually wiring up for the internet. But, it also found a humble beginning at insititutions such as selected places of high learning etc...
4. China, also tries like every where else, trying to `block' access to certain sites. But I guess, this is not always possible even with proxy servers.
5. In my opinion, China has also allowed certain cites to operate, or shelter them when they were found to hack into certain overseas sites in the US, when the US wrongly bombed the Chinese embassy a while back.
6. With the market becoming globalised, in my opinion, no country can isolate or afford not to `plug' into the internet.
Many Japanese, Singapore and overseas companies are starting to set up manufacturing plants in China and infrastructure for internet would give a competitive advantage.
More particuarly, if China wants to be a major Financial Centre e.g. Shanghai etc.. cannot avoid, the internet, totally.
But if one got caught being subversive, one may most likely be `invited' for free accomodation, food and lodging, like staying in a "hotel".
Warmest Regards,
Cecil

Quote

On 4/12/00 10:52:00 PM, Anonymous wrote:
Dear cecil,
Do people in China have access
to internet. Very curious to
know since no freedom of
speech or press in China. If
yes, is it regulated by the
chinese government. Thanks.

Dear Anon,
Attached please find a recent article on the use of handphones and internet in Mainland China.