What will happen if Google leaves China?

Editor's Note:

Google's recent claim that it will stop providing censored search content in China and may withdraw from the Chinese market has stirred public debate. Is Google acting from moral principles, or is this a well-calculated business decision? Global Times (GT) reporters Lu Jingxian and Wu Mian talked to Wang Dong (Wang), assistant professor of School of International Studies, Peking University, Fan Hua (Fan), a corporate lawyer qualified in both US and Chinese law, Jay Xu (Xu), an IT business owner and Nancy Liu (Liu), an IT strategy consultant at an international consultancy, on the causes and impacts of Google's departure.

Google's headquarters in Beijing on January 14, 2010. Photo: CFP

GT: What do you think Google's real intentions are?

Wang: It is difficult to tell a group's true intentions, whether it is a government or a company. On the surface, the decision has moral appeal, which seems to be consistent with the principles Google has claimed to uphold since they started doing business.
Some are claiming that the latest decision is part of its business strategy, but I also think that its moral argument cannot simply be dismissed as hypocritical.

Four years ago, when it entered the Chinese market, Google was widely criticized by many Western human rights groups for compromising its ethics.

Even with compromised principles, its strategy didn't seem to pay off, which was frustrating for Google. This move puts Google on the moral high ground, which is good to its global strategy.

Fan: Google is finding a face-saving PR strategy to exit the Chinese market. Earnings from the Chinese market only account for a small share of its global business.

Google might also face potential legal liabilities in the US. It claimed the e-mail accounts of several Chinese activists have been breached.

The company could face class action lawsuits if many more e-mail users claim they may face the same problem.

Public opinion outside China overwhelmingly supports Google, but to me there is not much content in the hype.

After all, Google is a commercial company and has many shareholders to serve. I would support Google if it did this purely in order to uphold freedom of speech, but I doubt it.

My view of Google didn't change for better or worse because of this. It is a company, and this is a business decision. It has good products, and I will continue using it.