China Allows Google to Continue Operations

As Courtney reported last week, Google originally stopped censoring Chinese search results by redirecting users to Google.com.hk, which provides uncensored search results to the Hong Kong market. China then responded by saying they would not renew the companys internet licence unless the automatic redirect was removed.

In response, Google removed their automatic redirect and now uses a (somewhat sneaky) placeholder page which redirects users to Google.com.hk if they click anywhere on the page.

According to an article from the New York Times, Googles chief executive, Eric E. Schmidt, said Friday that the renewal "was the outcome we were hoping for."

"Well keep doing what were doing, and theyll keep doing what theyre doing," he said on Friday at the Allen & Company media conference in Sun Valley, Idaho.

The renewal of Googles internet licence creates some stability in the standoff, however the Chinese government does have the ability to revoke their licence at any time.