Just came back from a 2 weeks’ trip to China, the startup culture is certainly growing fast in China especially Beijing. I was not able to blog my experience over there because wordpress.com was still blocked. It was blocked in 2008 when I was there for NOC and it still is.
“Self-hosted wordpress blog did not face any blocking issues, when I was there”
Alternatively, there are still ways to blog through wordpress.com. One, you can get a VPN – this way you can access facebook and twitter as well but it will cost you, unless you are in China for a long period of time otherwise try looking for free VPN tunnel. Two, you can simply make use of wordpress.com – Post by Email service like I did for this post.
I would also like to share with you guys some internet services that I faced problems/blocked while I was there.
- Gmail – It was laggy and I had to keep reloading.
- Flickr – it’s doing fine
- Youtube – chose “优酷“
- Evernote – is good too even there is a clone for it (麦库记事)
- Dropbox – is syncing well too BUT if someone sends you a download link it will be blocked. And Yes! there is a clone for it too. (酷盘）
- Facebook & Twitter – as everybody knows, it is blocked. and there are always clones available (人人) & (微博）
- Skype – is horrible!, it was great in the past…:(
So as people says, when in “China” do what the chinese do! I got myself a QQ account. The IM service from QQ is great, video chat is also much smoother than Skype (Singapore-China), transfer of files are very fast as well. And to keep track of the latest tech stuffs in town, I got myself a weibo. Following Tech2ipo & web20share as a start. 
Here is a site that will be useful if you want to see if that any particular site is block in China. (http://greatfirewallofchina.org/)
Related articles
- China is Fine for Startups; Twitter and Facebook Aren’t Everything (techinasia.com)
- China Great Firewall can’t stop Facebook (sfgate.com)
I bought a domain name and my site still isn’t visible in China. I’m moving to Guangzhou on the 3rd so I guess I’ll just buy and setup a VPN before I go. Curse you, Great Firewall of China!!!!!!
Hi there
Very interesting. My friend is currently using the self hosted wordpress platform and doing fine in Beijing. > http://vanessatan.mobi/
but I have another friend, who brought a domain name but his blog, which is hosted on wordpress.com is blocked > http://jackyyapp.com/
Yeap, getting a VPN may be a good option.
Glad to see this blog, I haven’t been able to log in since early October, and I was starting to think it was just me :S
It appears though that it is just WordPress.com, I can get to WordPress.org with no problems so the platform should work. Also, I have been here since May, and did not have any problems until this month, so I’m still hopeful it’s temporary . . .
Hi Ash
Thanks for the comment.
If it is possible do let me know if the situation improves. I am not in China now but I am planning to switch to wordpress.org but if china blocks wordpress.org than I may not be switching.
Thank you so much.
Cheers
I didn’t use a VPN and did not purchase my domain name but was still able to access my wordpress blog in china. I lived in Beijing in 2011 and outside of my access to the site being very slow everything worked well. I was able to update my blog almost daily.
Hi Jared,
ohhh that’s interesting to know
Thank for the update , I will be heading down to Shanghai this April. It would be great if I can blog straight with a VPN
Cheers
I thought the block was lifted!
Hi there
I’m not sure if it is lifted because I wrote about the post last Oct 2011
Maybe it has been lifted? Are you located in China or visiting china often?
Cheers
No we are in North West London hope to visit soon though!!
its not lifted.stil its blocked.only the wordpress.org site is working.
Thanks for the heads up.
Which part of China are you at?
Would be great to share with fellow readers
Thank you
what a world? In this 21st century…
Yeah. I just checked recently. It is still blocked for wordpress.com.
Oh but apparently tumblr is not. I surprised too.
Reblogged this on *_* Yanr for ease 小 憩 *_* and commented:
I am considering upgrading my wordpress, however this fact holds me back: Even upgrading or buying domains won’t change the fact that Our Great Fire Wall blocks wordpress. How can I keep my friends in China updated? Switching to Sina?纠结～～～
Thanks for the reblog.
I think if you change it to wordpress.org – meaning self-hosted it would be able to be read in China
Cheers
Bryan
Thanks a lot:) I shall ask my friends in China to test out:)