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Article

13 Jun 2016

Author:
Tom Phillips, Guardian (UK)

China: Twitter's appointment of new China director reportedly linked with Chinese military sparks debate that it would hinder freedom of speech

“Twitter's appointment of new chief in China incenses rights activists”, 20 Apr 2016

Kathy Chen…was named as the social network’s managing director for mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan…Chen’s appointment has incensed Chinese dissidents and pro-democracy activists…who use Twitter, a service that has been blocked in mainland China since mid-2009.

…Critics of Twitter’s move have highlighted Chen’s background as an engineer for the Chinese military during the late 1980s and 90s. They also point to her involvement, between 1999 and 2005, with Computer Associates-Jinchen, a joint venture…in which China’s ministry of public security reportedly held a 20% stake. The Financial Times cited a 2004 interview…in which [Chen] said the joint venture had made software used to filter “information of political sensitivity and harmful information”. …[Twitter] spokesperson confirmed that the ministry had “indirectly owned” the Chinese firm in the joint venture but…said Chen had never worked for the ministry.

Hu Jia, an outspoken dissident…said activists felt the social network had betrayed them by employing someone with such a résumé…Chen…has not responded to the criticism…China’s government-controlled…Global Times tabloid… said criticism of Chen’s appointment came from a small group of Twitter users who were “antagonistic against the Chinese mainland’s political systems”…[b]ut…admitted that if Twitter were to be unblocked in China, “certain adjustments according to Chinese law would be necessary”. The Twitter spokesperson said: “We are not entering mainland China as Twitter the consumer service is still blocked there.”…