Many websites are self censoring in China, and if they dont delete inflamatory posts then the watchdogs will, as well as shutting down the website.

Much of the software provided to China to watch the web has come from US companies. The Chinese are still busy developing their own.

While I cannot access the BBC news website, the written one, I can access BBC via broadband, so the blocking is somewhat patchy.

I was away on business the other week and I had CNN on in the hotel room (yes a sad bastard I am). There was an interview with Jung Chang about her latest book a biog of Mao. Halfway through it was interupted, a few minutes later it was back, the interview was over. So there is also the ability to block satellite feeds too.

I can buy foreign newspapers and magazines which often contain article critical of China, but Chinese ones all toe the party line.

Strange country this.