Google-Baidu Plot Shows Need to Hide Crimes

Exposure of the dark secrets behind Google’s exit from China reveal manipulation, but offer opportunities.
Google-Baidu Plot Shows Need to Hide Crimes
4/25/2012
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img class="size-full wp-image-1788395     " title="Baidu VS Google" src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/Baidu-Bat-Web.jpeg" alt="Baidu VS Google" width="583" height="467"/></a>
Baidu VS Google

A reliable source in Beijing recently revealed that Google’s exit from China was orchestrated by China’s security chief Zhou Yongkang and the recently ousted Chongqing Party head Bo Xilai. Li Changchun, China’s propaganda chief, also played a role. The main purpose was to give Baidu control over China’s Internet search market and by doing so use its searches in a political battle. 

The revelations are partly corroborated by a State Department cable published by Wikileaks, which said that “A well-placed contact claims that the Chinese government coordinated the recent intrusions of Google systems. According to our contact, the closely held operations were directed at the Politburo Standing Committee level.” The disclosure confirms a number of facts. 

The disclosure confirms that the U.S. government has long known that Google’s exit from China was linked to the Chinese government. However, the U.S. government tended to believe the attack was due to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s fear of freedom of speech. In March 2010, the U.S. State Department said Google’s exit from China was a commercial decision, they would not intervene, but would continue to discuss the issue of Internet freedom with China. The White House reiterated its stance of supporting freedom of speech on the Internet. 

However, in saying this the U.S. missed one of the key points associated with the Google scandal. This is that the purpose of ridding China of Google was to bolster Baidu’s control of the Internet search market, which could then be used to weaken the position of incumbent Communist Party leaders. 

The people who led the scheme were the officials knee-deep in the persecution of Falun Gong, a spiritual practice whose adherents have been brutally targeted for torture and “re-education.” Zhou Yongkang and Bo Xilai needed to seize control of the Communist Party in order not to be held account for their crimes, and they intended to use Baidu as one plank in their campaign. Thus, the need to hide the persecution of Falun Gong was the cause of the Google-Baidu machinations. 

The news also demonstrates that the CCP lied to the world. On March 23, 2010, an official from the Internet section of the State Council Information Office said, “We resolutely oppose the politicization of commercial problems, and express dissatisfaction and indignation toward Google’s unreasonable criticism and actions.” That Communist Party spokespeople lie is not new, though it is worth noting.

The revelations also corroborate but not confirm the story that Zhou Yongkang and Bo Xilai were attempting to stage a coup against the current leadership. A version of this coup story was told by Wang Lijun to American diplomats when he attempted to defect to the American consulate in Chengdu in early February, according to Bill Gertz, a national security reporter. Wang was Bo Xilai’s right-hand-man. The Google-Baidu revelations add credence to this leak, because it shows that Zhou and Bo were taking steps to delegitimize Xi Jinping, Hu Jintao, and Wen Jiabao.

Alongside this are the public facts of what Bo Xilai did in Chongqing, with the support of Zhou Yongkang: he initiated the Chongqing gang trials and revived Cultural Revolution-era “red culture,” he also monitored leaders in the central government, colluded with local armed forces, bought guns, trained soldiers, and paid off experts and scholars to acclaim his “Chongqing model.” 

The recent revelations show that forcing Google out of China was part of this overall plot. It all came to a grinding halt, of course, when Wang Lijun attempted to defect in early February. The officials in question are now being rooted out as China’s political system faces an enormous crisis.

Read the original Chinese article.

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Zhou Xiaohui is a former college professor. He has been contributing commentaries to The Epoch Times on Chinese politics, history, and culture since 2009.
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