China’s Great Firewall Is Torn Down, For Some

China’s southern island province of Hainan is piloting a program that will allow corporate users access to the global Internet, a rare move for a country known for its harsh online censorship and its limiting of access to popular websites by its “Great Firewall,” the South China Morning Post reported over the weekend. 

The Hainan International Data Comprehensive Service Centre (HIDCSC) announced that employees of companies registered and operating in the southernmost province can apply for the “Global Connect” mobile service. 

The service will allow users to access many of the most-visited websites – such as Google and Wikipedia – without any additional cost. Applicants must be on a 5G plan with one of China’s three largest state-backed carriers and submit their employer information for approval. 

HIDCSC representatives said there will be no restrictions in terms of the firm’s size or business scope. 

While the changes effectively allow corporate users to bypass the infamous Great Firewall – which blocks many of the world’s popular sites – the representatives noted that some websites would still be off-limits. 

They did not specify which ones or what content would still be blocked. 

China is notorious for monitoring and censoring its Internet, citing concerns about the spread of illegal or dangerous information. Many netizens, as a result, rely on virtual private networks (VPN) to access the World Wide Web. 

However, the use or sale of unauthorized VPNs to bypass the Great Firewall is illegal in China. 

In the past, there was talk of dropping the Great Firewall in free-trade zones but it never happened. 

Observers said Hainan’s pilot program is aimed at boosting the island’s ambitions to become a global free-trade port. Mainly known for its tropical weather and tourism, Hainan is preparing to launch independent customs operations by the end of 2025.