Surveillance step-up blamed for email disruption

Recent disruption to cross-border email traffic has been blamed by users and company officers on adjustments to China's internet surveillance system, Reuters reported. "At first we thought this was our problem … but after investigations, we are certain it is related to China's great firewall," said Richard Ford, technical director of Beijing-based IT company Candis Group. Chinese internet service providers including 263.com and Sina warned users of problems at the "international gateway". Meanwhile, an executive at a Shanghai-based media company said email service managers had advised using local emails as a "new firewall system" was being installed at China Telecom and China Netcom. It was suggested that the authorities want to intensify monitoring in the run-up to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting in Urumqi, the capital of the northwestern Xinjiang region, in August.