“China has replaced its internet regulator, Lu Wei, the hard-liner responsible for leading the government’s efforts to tighten control over domestic cyberspace and export the ruling Communist Party’s philosophy of web control,” Gerry Shih reports for Reuters.
“Lu wielded expansive powers as head of the Central Leading Group for Cyberspace Affairs since 2014, dictating what 700 million Chinese internet users may view online and acting as gatekeeper for technology companies wishing to do business in China,” Shih reports. “His successor will be his deputy, former propaganda official Xu Lin, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Wednesday.”
“The reshuffle likely means a new face will greet foreign executives like Apple’s Tim Cook and Microsoft’s Satya Nadella who have been dealing with thorny cybersecurity and trade issues on their visits to Beijing,” Shih reports. “Under Lu’s watch, China has been codifying a series of cybersecurity and national security laws that gives the government greater legal powers to control online content and speech.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: China’s quixotic quest to keep trying to stuff the genie back into the bottle continues… for now.
An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger. — Confucius
As we wrote back in May:
Business and political models that fly in the face of human nature are doomed to failure.
Apple is moving with human nature. Humans seek privacy. Privacy is a human right. Humans seek freedom of speech, thought, and expression. These, too, are human rights.
China’s government is fighting against the tide of human nature on these fronts. Apple is flowing with it; indeed, helping to propel it.
In the end, Apple’s ideas will win and China’s government’s will lose. Those who try to thwart human nature are doomed to failure.
SEE ALSO:
Apple to face more scrutiny as China cracks down on apps – June 29, 2016
China says Apple, app developers must track identities of users and developers – June 28, 2016
Apple’s battle with China offers a stark reminder of geopolitical risks – May 11, 2016
Apple’s Tim Cook to visit China for high-level government meetings later this month – May 6, 2016
Apple CEO Cook ‘pretty confident’ of soon resuming movie and book sales in China – May 3, 2016
Apple’s biggest China problem: iPhone’s strong encryption – May 2, 2016
The New Yorker: What Apple has to fear from China – April 30, 2016
Why Carl Icahn is wrong about Apple and China – April 29, 2016
Carl Icahn out of Apple over worries about China’s ‘dictatorship’ government – April 29, 2016
Apple stock falls as Carl Icahn dumps all of his shares – April 29, 2016
Carl Icahn dumps all of his Apple shares; stock drops – April 28, 2016
Apple reports earnings miss in Q216 – April 26, 2016
China could slam door on Apple, says top global risk expert – April 25, 2016
China’s increasing censorship hits Apple, but Apple might punch back – April 22, 2016
China shutters Apple’s online book and movie services – April 22, 2016
Apple CEO Tim Cook joins Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights’ board of directors – April 6, 2016