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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| BBC website 'unblocked in China' | BBC website 'unblocked in China' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| People in China are able to access English language stories on the BBC News website in full, after years of strict control by Beijing. | People in China are able to access English language stories on the BBC News website in full, after years of strict control by Beijing. |
| The Communist authorities often block news sites such as the BBC in a policy dubbed the "great firewall of China". | The Communist authorities often block news sites such as the BBC in a policy dubbed the "great firewall of China". |
| But BBC staff working in China now say they are able to access news stories that would have been blocked before. | But BBC staff working in China now say they are able to access news stories that would have been blocked before. |
| However, the firewall remains in place for Chinese language services on the website and for any links in Chinese. | However, the firewall remains in place for Chinese language services on the website and for any links in Chinese. |
| 'Without hindrance' | 'Without hindrance' |
| Beijing has never admitted to blocking access to BBC news stories - and there has been no official confirmation that the website has been unblocked. | Beijing has never admitted to blocking access to BBC news stories - and there has been no official confirmation that the website has been unblocked. |
| But Chinese users trying to access pages on the site have almost always been redirected to an error message telling them: "The connection was reset." | But Chinese users trying to access pages on the site have almost always been redirected to an error message telling them: "The connection was reset." |
| I can read the BBC website on a normal internet cafe computer Gudrun Gallhoff Website reader, Shandong province China readers reactChina's web battle | I can read the BBC website on a normal internet cafe computer Gudrun Gallhoff Website reader, Shandong province China readers reactChina's web battle |
| It now appears that this is no longer the case, and access to the site is much easier. | It now appears that this is no longer the case, and access to the site is much easier. |
| Steve Herrmann, editor of the BBC News website, says this is a welcome development. | Steve Herrmann, editor of the BBC News website, says this is a welcome development. |
| "We want BBC News to be as accessible in China as anywhere else in the world," he said. | "We want BBC News to be as accessible in China as anywhere else in the world," he said. |
| "We will endeavour to continue working with the Chinese authorities to improve our access in other areas." | "We will endeavour to continue working with the Chinese authorities to improve our access in other areas." |
| Technology experts say such a development would not be possible without the approval of internet service providers - which are under strict supervision by Beijing. | Technology experts say such a development would not be possible without the approval of internet service providers - which are under strict supervision by Beijing. |
| Surprised readers | Surprised readers |
| Statistics show that traffic to the website from China has been much higher than usual. | Statistics show that traffic to the website from China has been much higher than usual. |
| Typically fewer than 100 people read stories from Chinese computers - but on Tuesday that figure jumped to more than 16,000. | Typically fewer than 100 people read stories from Chinese computers - but on Tuesday that figure jumped to more than 16,000. |
| And comments have been flooding in to BBC forums from all over China. | And comments have been flooding in to BBC forums from all over China. |
| Ross Brown in Qingdao, Shandong province, wrote: "We were just discussing with some of our Chinese colleagues about the fact BBC website was blocked, went on to show them and we see this latest news. Excellent news." | Ross Brown in Qingdao, Shandong province, wrote: "We were just discussing with some of our Chinese colleagues about the fact BBC website was blocked, went on to show them and we see this latest news. Excellent news." |
| Many of the comments came from readers of the website who have spent years accessing the stories by linking their computers to others based outside of China. | Many of the comments came from readers of the website who have spent years accessing the stories by linking their computers to others based outside of China. |
| Tibet difficulties | Tibet difficulties |
| The Chinese authorities had promised to give foreign journalists more freedom in the run-up to this summer's Olympic Games. | The Chinese authorities had promised to give foreign journalists more freedom in the run-up to this summer's Olympic Games. |
| But analysts say that recent outbreaks of unrest in Tibet have made this promise more difficult for Beijing to uphold. | But analysts say that recent outbreaks of unrest in Tibet have made this promise more difficult for Beijing to uphold. |
| The BBC and other media organisations still find reporting from Tibet very difficult - foreign journalists were refused permission to enter the region during the recent protests. | The BBC and other media organisations still find reporting from Tibet very difficult - foreign journalists were refused permission to enter the region during the recent protests. |
| The websites of UK newspapers the Times and Guardian - as well as video-sharing site YouTube - were blocked or partially blocked during the unrest. | The websites of UK newspapers the Times and Guardian - as well as video-sharing site YouTube - were blocked or partially blocked during the unrest. |
| This week the Chinese government has arranged a trip for foreign media organisations to Tibet - but the BBC's request to be included was rejected. | This week the Chinese government has arranged a trip for foreign media organisations to Tibet - but the BBC's request to be included was rejected. |
| Although no official ban has ever been announced, the BBC News website has been blocked for almost a decade. | Although no official ban has ever been announced, the BBC News website has been blocked for almost a decade. |
| The Chinese language website has been blocked since its launch in 1999. | The Chinese language website has been blocked since its launch in 1999. |
| Are you in China? What is your reaction to this story? Is this your first time reading the BBC News website? | Are you in China? What is your reaction to this story? Is this your first time reading the BBC News website? |