Facebook's next move: China?

        Facebook, the most popular social networking site around the globe, still hasn't got the approval to launch itself in mainland China. The reason may be complex, but one thing is certain, the Facebook is still changing its strategy to step its feet into the eastern nation. On an interview in 2010, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated, “How can you connect the whole world if you leave out 1.6 billion people?” to show his interest in the Chinese market. 

(Source: Mark Zuckerberg on Facebook's Strategy for China)

         This is not the first time Zuckerberg shows his interest in China. In 2010, he went on a personal trip to China, visiting three internet giants in China: China mobile, Baidu and Sina. His action had set off a frenzy of speculation in Chinese internet market. However, the failure of american internet companies like ebay, Yahoo and Google also warned the young man that the road was not that simple.

        Actually, if the Facebook successfully entered China, it would cause a lot of changes. First, this will be the first time most Chinese netizens directly communicate with people out of the nation. Before 2003, the degree of openness of internet in China was rather high. Then, after 2003, the Chinese government begun to control the internet use, preventing Chinese netizens to get in touch with western electronic media. However, the internet market and technology improved at an alarming speed during this period. As a result, many of the Chinese netizens do not have the experience to communicate with foreigners directly themselves. 

（Source: umiwi.com)

        Second, the Facebook will have to compete with the local social networking site. Because of the absence of Facebook in China, several local social networking sites are now very popular in China, such as Renren, Kaixin and Douban. Especially for Renren, it is a social networking site based on the “oldboy network”, with a current number of users over 5 million. It is rather hard for Facebook to shake the standing place of Renren. Therefore, it has to think of other strategies. 

(Source: renren.com)

        Lastly, the business pattern of Facebook will collide with the development patterns of internet in China. Many services provided by Facebook, the apps for example, do not quite match with the pattern in Chinese network. Whether Facebook will change its pattern to appeal to the Chinese internet, or Chinese internet will seek a better way to fit with the foreign service structure, only time can tell.

        At present, Chinese netizons have to use proxy to log on Facebook. We believe that one day Facebook can break through the "high wall" set up by Chinese government and enable Chinese users to travel in the exciting virtual world.