Google's exit

Google and Beijing are at an impasse that could lead to the Internet search engine closing its China site.

Google announced in January that it would no longer comply with Chinese demands to censor results of searches to block access by Chinese Internet users to information the government finds offensive.

The move followed disclosures that China was the source of hacking Google's e-mail service, including sites of Chinese human rights activists and several major companies.

Beijing denies the accusations and has been negotiating with Google to keep its China search engine. China has also warned partners of Google's Chinese search engine that they must abide by censorship laws or face the consequences.

Chinese leaders defend the censorship as necessary to protect the country. Chinese Internet users could still have access to Google search engines based outside the country. However, China routinely blocks access to certain phrases or words, such as Falun Gong, a banned group.

Google had accepted China's demand for self-censorship to filter searches to block access to objectionable topics or sites in order to operate there.

Google supporters argued that its global reach may help break down China's censorship and bring openness. That has not happened, and now Google is taking a strong stand for human rights and free expression.