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China just cut off (almost) all external Internet access
20 points by zrgiu_ on April 12, 2012 | hide | past | favorite | 6 comments
None of the websites I tried loads, WhatsApp doesn't work, only one of 4 VPNs i have works (the one I'm using now, HongKong server)... I really hope this is just temporary, and they're not going North Koreea style.

Will update this post if things change

Update 11:57: skype seems to work for now. Might just only be the web. Yahoo and Msn messengers don't work though

Update 12:07: seems that data is being sent, but nothing comes back. Also, wsj articles load, but not any assets (css, js, images)

Update 12:20: portions of the 3rd ring road in Beijing are being closed. One of the largest "city highways" in beijing.. This is scary, hopefully unrelated

Update: 13:09: looks like everything is back to normal. Only Facebook and such websites still being blocked. phew

Additional info: yesterday text messages (SMS) containing either "Bo Xilai" or "bxl" were rejected. Apparently everything has to do with this thing: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304444604577337951998961744.html?mod=WSJAsia_hpp_LEFTTopStories



This was obviously related to the recent government oust of Bo Xilai.

I heard tanks were patrolling streets in Beijing just 2 weeks ago.


I noticed this today; it was very glaring. Hopefully its back now, but I won't know until I leave work (we have a GFW-free separate connection in the office).

It could have just been a glitch and nothing planned, but I agree with the poster that these things should be taken seriously (at least by those of us in Beijing).


Well, the U.S. just cut off Library Genesis (gen.lib.rus.ec), the presumably-unauthorized archive of math/science ebooks. It works great from European proxies, but not from here.

(My point is that if they tell you you're getting unfiltered Internet in the U.S., they're lying.)


Actually the admins on the site are blocking U.S. users so not to draw attention to themselves like library.nu. I think they had mentioned it on their IRC awhile back.


are you still there?


Hehe.. Yes. Trying to trace packets to see where they get lost




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