Google’s recent action of redirecting google.cn traffic to servers in Hong Kong has raised much comment. Google’s claim is that it is doing this so it doesn’t have to follow Chinese government demands to censor what it has online.

The Chinese government, in its turn, has stated that it has the right to set the rules by which a corporation functions in its country.

In the process of this dispute, the diverse views of the Chinese internet users, of its netizens, appear to be missing from Google’s considerations.

Some netizens in China posted an Open letter to Google and to the Chinese government ministries, asking that each side in the dispute present in an open way what their views are, so that the netizens can be part of the discussion and decision-making process determining what should happen.(1)

Google has ignored this request. It has done what it decided to… weiter lesen

[Note: The English language website of People's Daily asked for comments on the question, "How do you regard China's function in International Affairs?" Here is my response which has been published on their website.*]

As a resident correspondent at the United Nations reporting for a South Korean publication, it is helpful to hear China’s views on the different issues before the United Nations, particularly when China supports the effort for negotiation and political solutions to problems rather than coercive measures.

One such situation is the issue of whether Iran should have the right to do nuclear enrichment for the peaceful use of nuclear energy as Iran holds as its right under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). Some of the permanent members of the Security Council claim that mastering the process of nuclear enrichment will give Iran the ability to create nuclear weapons. These permanent members also hold that they… weiter lesen

Gaza Probe Resolution Passes in General Assembly

On Friday, February 26 there was snow storm in New York City making travel difficult, with snow one foot deep. Yet shortly after 10 am the United Nations General Assembly held its meeting to consider the resolution A.64/L.48 “Follow-up to the report of the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict (II).”

This resolution extended for five additional months the call to both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to carry on iinvestigations in accord with international standards into the alleged international law violations described in the Goldstone Report. The Goldstone Report issued in September 2009, documented the results of an investigation into the possible violations of international law by Israel in its assault on Gaza in Operation Cast Lead from December 27, 2008 through January 18, 2009. (1) The Report also alleged violations by the Palestinians in their rocket launches on southern… weiter lesen