Google: China Blocking Gmail

In the latest battle between China and Google, the company is charging the government with interfering with Gmail. Users are having increasing trouble sending emails and accessing other services linked to the operation, according to Google. Following the Japanese earthquake tsunami disaster, Google set up an application to help people find missing relatives and friends. This service has also been compromised in China, reports the Guardian. "There is no issue on our side. This is a government blockage carefully designed to look like the problem is with Gmail," said a Google spokesman.

Google earlier charged that "highly targeted and apparently politically motivated attacks" were being launched by hackers against Gmail users, but did not specifically blame the government. Last month dozens of Chinese activists were busted after an anonymous online call for people to start a Jasmine Revolution in the wake of Mideast unrest. The crackdown came as China's president, Hu Jintao, called for an Internet crackdown to prevent unrest. Chinese officials have not commented on Google's latest charges. (More China stories.)