中国现在有最大的因特网用户人口，可是谷歌是比较晚进入中国市场的。谷歌中国是2005年创办的，以前的微软公司的高层主管李开复当时是首席执行官。因为中国的因特网环境是那么多限制的，谷歌的决定不是容易的。在这个“和谐”的条件上工作不是谷歌一般的情况。他们应该审查搜索结果吗？ 终于他们决定了遵守当地的法律和在中国提供审查的搜索结果。他们当时认为最好的是参与中国的网络市场，并且去试着影响当地的情况。

此后，谷歌发现了在中国作生意不容易。中国的因特网限制越来越严格的。当地的法律好像对中国的竞争对手百度有利。谷歌经济成功不大。

最近某些事情发生了让谷歌再考虑他们的位置。2009年12月发生了非常尖端的黑客袭击谷歌和几十家其他的美国公司。这好像是中国的政府支撑的。这个黑客袭击瞄准了谷歌的知识产权和人权积极分子的电子邮件。结果是谷歌上个星期发出通知：他们将结束搜索审查制度。要是谷歌因此不可以在中国经营的话，他们就准备退出中国的市场。

在中国的网络用户中，有的人认为是谷歌就是外国的公司，应该尊重中国的法律和政府。他们就是“愤青”。但是还有很多人认为审查制度太严厉了，他们觉得谷歌的奋斗就是正直的。每个人都知道中国人已经不可以上很多有用的网站，比如说Youtube、Twitter、Facebook。如果谷歌也走了,情况看起来很糟糕。他们非常担心中国不参加世界的社会。一个中国的Twitter人写了：”不是谷歌退出了中国，而是中国退出了世界。”

Group One: Fresh off the boat

Group one guys know very little about China and Chinese people, but respect what they find as they would in their own country. They brought their mindset – and ethical system – with them.

Group Two: Dazed and Confused

Group two guys have learned something about China and have some experience with Chinese culture. As a result they feel confused and conflicted, and can become a little suspicious or cynical depending on their personality, education, and pre-existing morals. They don’t know how to deal with or communicate with Chinese people.

Group 3: The bounder

Group 3 guys know a lot about China and the Chinese. They have combined the selfishness of the Westerner with the lying of the Chinese and become very arrogant and cynical. They have bad reputations and damage the reputation of all foreigners. Many Westerners who have been living in China for a long time fall into this category. (C was not shy in expressing anger and contempt for this archetype.)

Group 4: Bigfoot with a big nose

These guys know China well, but have the intelligence and judgement to accept both the kindnesses and weaknesses of China. These are friendly, genuine and worldly people who respect their host country and its inhabitants. C believes they must exist somewhere, but they are an endangered species.

Lotus blossom from People’s Park

Remember, these aren’t my opinions. I can hardly have such a harsh view of foreigners here, nor of China, which in C’s view clearly has a corrupting influence on the Western men who dwell here. If the Mr Charisma effect  is real – that is, the inflation of a man’s attractiveness that occurs solely by the virtue of him being a foreigner – and it seems to be, it’s not hard to see that this could have a corrosive effect on any man’s ego and respect for the opposite sex. The fraught subject of inter-cultural relations causes an awful lot of hand-wringing on both sides, and is even the subject of books (and some unsavoury magazines). As a single man in China it’s not a subject I can pretend to ignore (especially as a confused Group 2).

Of course I countered with a few groups of Chinese women (a humorous analysis I will take with me to the grave for obvious reasons), but C responded with her  groups of Chinese Girls, another interesting list, and just as uncompromising as this one. I will share it at a later date if I can think of some way to do so without being lynched.

What do the foreign gals in China must make of all the fuss, I wonder?