Strasbourg, 18/05/2010 (Agence Europe) - Following her official five-day visit to China, European Digital Society Commissioner Neelie Kroes set the cat among the pigeons in Shanghai on Tuesday 18 May when she opined that Chinese censorship of the internet was a trade barrier that should be discussed at the WTO. The “Big Firewall”, that is to say, the close supervision exercised by Chinese authorities over the internet, was a trade issue, “in that it represents a real barrier to communication,” Kroes said during a visit to the headquarters of Tudou.com, an online video sharing site set up by Chinese and Dutch entrepreneurs. “Every chance I get, I push for European companies to be treated fairly in China, and vice versa,” she added, giving assurances that her colleague at Trade Karel De Gucht was closely involved in discussions on how Europe should proceed. When asked about Google's withdrawal from China, Kroes did not wish to comment on a company and American policy decision. (E.H./transl.rt)