Chinese city plans to build cloud computing zone for foreign countries

Friday, July 08, 2011

For multinational businesses dabbling in cloud computing, a new controversy has risen in China. According to a recent InfoWorld report, a cloud zone is being constructed in the city of Chongqing that plans to offer uncensored internet access, but only for foreign companies.

While China plans to attract more foreign business, the country currently imposes strict internet access rules on its citizens.

"It goes beyond ironic," said an InfoWorld reporter in an interview. "The Chinese government is marketing an uncensored, unfiltered Internet connection as a selling point, while they so blatantly and purposely deny that right to the vast majority of their citizens."

The Cloud Computing Special Zone will contain modern data centers designed to serve the needs of incoming foreign business and increase the country's cloud computing status, the report stated.

Cloud computing is helping to drive up worldwide IT budgets. According to a recent report by Gartner, worldwide IT spending is expected to increase by 7.1 percent this year, reaching nearly $3.7 trillion by the end of 2011.