When there’s a will, there’s a way! Facebook CEO Mark Zuckleburg’s visit to China a couple of years ago have paid off, albeit a small but important win. China will lift the ban on Facebook within Shanghai’s free-trade zone.
The actual statement from Beijing is that they will “lift a ban on internet access within the Shanghai Free-trade Zone to foreign websites considered politically sensitive by the Chinese government, including Facebook, Twitter and newspaper website The New York Times”
In addition to that the Shanghai Free-trade Zone, the first in the mainland, will also allow foreign telecommunication companies to compete as well.
Why is this happening? Top Chinese leaders including Premier Li Keqiang, are keen to make the free-trade zone a key proving ground for significant financial and economic reforms. This will eventually lead to more foreign investment into China and liberalise the nation’s foreign exchange and interest rate system, making capital flow much more easily.
Traditionally, people in the mainland wanting to access sites like Facebook and Twitter needed to purchase special VPNs to access these sites, but with the landmark decision, such tools would not be needed in the FTZ.
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Via SCMP
Image: travelbugltd
