Hu Yong’s writes on the rise of microblogs (like Twitter, which is blocked) on the Chinese Internet.
Recently, when a newspaper reporter exposed related-party transactions by a listed company, local police authorities issued a warrant for his arrest. Tens of thousands of microblog posts were sent out about this incident. Users expressed their views and revealed the immense appetite the Chinese people have for participation in news events. The incident ended with the withdrawal of the arrest warrant by the police.
Also, it appears “beta” in China can also mean “have been approached by the authorities to remove features”. Four microblogging services suddenly slapped a “beta” label on their websites and turned off search after a government-led crackdown.