Over the last month or so, the media has portrayed Google as friendless in China. Embroiled in a censorship row with China, the search engine giant has threatened to leave the country. But now it seems that Google does have a loving sister in China.
Just a few days after it threatened to leave, a site popped up: Goojje.
The site is a pun. Its last part, jje, sounds like jie jie or sister in Mandarin Chinese. Google’s last syllables sound like “ge ge” or brother in Chinese.
Reuters described Goojje as Google’s rival. But according to the Shanghai Post, “It’s obvious from the site’s page layouts and manifesto (of sorts) that it has no plans really to vie with anyone”. The manifesto notes: “Goojje was born for peace, this Internet world has become harmonious because of Goojje’s appearance, with Goojje the brothers won’t be lonely. ”
Elaborating on Goojje’s purpose, the mysterious figure behind Goojje (said to be a Guangdong female college student) writes in the site’s manifesto: “I made Goojje because brother Google was leaving.” The site contains pleas for Google to not leave China.
A Google spokesperson declined to comment.
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