Chinese Govt. denies involvement.
By Raif Karerat
WASHINGTON, DC: Access to Gmail seems to be slowly returning to China after nearly all access to the email service was blocked for over four days.
As previously reported by The American Bazaar, the international email service was cut off without any warning, with freedom-of-speech advocacy group GreatFire.org laying blame on the doorstep of the Chinese government.
Traffic levels have not yet returned to those logged before last week’s disruption, and its origin remains undetermined. A spokesperson for Google stated the company ran diagnostics and “there’s nothing technically wrong on our end.”
Most of Google’s ubiquitous online services have been disrupted in China since June of 2014, but until last week Gmail users could still access their email via protocols such as IMAP, SMTP, and POP3 on third-party apps like Microsoft Outlook and Apple Mail. However, last week even those last vestiges of Gmail access became unreachable.
An op-ed in the state-run Global Times newspaper deflects to Google, calling the notion that Gmail was blocked by the Chinese government “dubious” and effectively lampoons the search colossus, which it says “values more its reluctance to be restricted by Chinese law, resulting in conflict.”
“If the China side indeed blocked Gmail, the decision must have been prompted by newly emerged security reasons,” the op-ed obstinately continues. “If that is the case, Gmail users need to accept the reality of Gmail being suspended in China.”
Shortly after the blockage occurred, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying stated she did not know anything about the Gmail blockage and elaborated further, “China has consistently had a welcoming and supportive attitude towards foreign investors doing legitimate business here. We will, as always, provide an open, transparent and good environment for foreign companies in China.”