But if we in the West, with our liberal political culture and our attempts to build open societies, do not engage with China then we lose the opportunity to influence them and convince them of the benefits that this brings.
This is the seminal point and it is the last I will speak of it here.
biz.yahoo.com
The specter of state censorship and the proliferation of software piracy shouldn't deter technology companies from doing business in China, Bill Gates said Friday.
As technology develops and Chinese innovations multiply, those problems will gradually dissipate, the Microsoft Corp. chairman and co-founder said.
"I think (the Internet) is contributing to Chinese political engagement. ... Access to the outside world is preventing more censorship," Gates said, referring to China's restrictions on politically sensitive Web sites.
Microsoft, Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc. have been criticized for acquiescing to Chinese government demands to block access to certain sites, a move critics contend suppresses free speech in the country.
But Gates said that despite the blockage, the Internet has contributed to the national dialogue simply by existing.
"I do think information flow is happening in China," Gates said. "There's no doubt in my mind that's been a huge plus."
Gates added that software piracy is a problem that will likely be solved over time, because as Chinese-made technology evolves, the country's respect for intellectual property rights will improve.
"We are always upset that they aren't paying us for our products, but we're not going to pick up and go home," Gates said. |
