"The system, being built in the city of Chongqing over the next two to three years, is among the largest and most sophisticated video-surveillance projects of its kind in China, and perhaps the world. Dubbed "Peaceful Chongqing," it is planned to cover a half-million intersections, neighborhoods and parks over nearly 400 square miles, an area more than 25% larger than New York City."

This sounds bad. We'll have another Britain on our hands if we're not careful.

Edward... I was thinking much the same.

Obviously it sucks, but having long since emigrated, reading about Blair's CCTV shit definitely brings back some nostalgic memories of being young. Sitting around in my home town in the late 90's trying to skin up a joint of crap soap bar whilst stupidly drunk and doing your best to avoid being filmed. (The trick seemed to be to sit right by the pole so the camera couldn't get you). Fun times!

The future....

Many silican valley companies move more and more of their operations to China.

However, they find.....

Either that new Chinese competitors rise up and out compete them (qute fairly).

Or....

That the Chinese powers that be gradually (or just one day - almost on a whim) de facto force them to sell out (for little or nothing) to Chinese "partners".

China is not a land where the principles of the rule of law run deep - law is just the commands of the state (Hobbes rules). Sometimes good for business - but if the powers that be decide not to be good for your business.... there is naught you can do about it.

However, the Silicon Valley croud have (by the support of most of them for Comrade Barack) shown they do not give a toss about the foundation principles of Western civilization.

So it is hard to really care about their long term fate.

"But the economy will suffer Paul".

The economy is aleady doomed.

We already have this in the US. It's called "NSA".