Google’s not doing so well in China; according to some estimates, the market share of its main competitor, Baidu, is 35% larger. Perhaps, then, the company will listen to Isaac Mao, who has given his opinion on how “to save Google in China and save Internet in China.”
In an open letter addressed to Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the Chinese blogger attempted “to resolve the current dilemma for Google in China, from both business and social perspectives.” And while that’s all well and good, most of Mao’s suggestions amount to throwing money China’s way.
His first proposal is to “[s]et up a 1B US$ corporate venture fund to invest in China’s Internet pioneer sites and cutting edge companies. . . . In my estimation, a venture fund with such a size can invest [in] over 100 deals [and] totally cover 60% of Internet traffic in China.” Perhaps – but Google could probably find a lot of other ways to spend $1 billion. (Or not spend it – at just 5% interest, it would earn $50 million in one year.)
Suggestion number two: “Develop anti-censorship tools and service for global Internet users. . . . The budget to complete the mission will be not more than several millions dollars.”
But the sticking point with this idea is Mao’s belief that, since the tools “won’t target China only,” China won’t take offense. Brady Forrest, who considers Mao a friend, seemed to think he was making an overly optimistic assumption.
“I wonder how the Chinese government would handle that,” Forrest wrote. “They like foreign investment, but would they really tolerate it if it came with tools that route around the Great Fire Wall attached?”
Mao’s last piece of advice is solely concerned with money. “Increase the incentive to Chinese Google Adsense users,” he suggested. “This can dramatically encourage more Internet users to participate [in] Google’s business ecosystem.”
Reactions to Mao’s letter have been mixed; Business 2.0’s Owen Thomas is among those who didn’t approve of it. Still, it’s an interesting take – and an “insider” opinion – on Google’s problems in China.
