Google weighing options in China

The option for Google to run its search engine unfiltered could put its 500 engineers and researchers in China at risk of government retaliation, the newspaper said.

On the other hand, shutting Google.cn down to protest censorship laws could anger the government, which could force Google's other operations -- mobile phones, Gmail and language translation services -- out of the country.

Google could be forced to apply to serve China with an unfiltered search engine, then accept a formal rejection before deciding to shut Google.cn down.

Losing Google.cn is "not a great outcome ... but it's not as ugly as it might have been," said Chinese Internet expert Kaiser Kuo.

Problems between Google and China surfaced Jan. 12 when Google announced it was considering shutting down Google.cn after discovering cyber-attacks on Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists.

On Friday, Li Yizhong, an official with China's Internet regulator said: "If you insist on taking this action that violates Chinese laws, I repeat: You are unfriendly and irresponsible, and you yourself will have to bear the consequences."

Copyright 2010 United Press International