As the saga of Google vs Beijing continues to unfold, the central government appears to be the sole loser at first glance. By almost all accounts, this is one of its biggest public relations disasters in recent years.
Ever since the internet search giant threatened to pull out of China on Tuesday, citing censorship and cyber-attacks on the e-mail accounts of mainland activists, Beijing is facing a rising chorus of criticism from a broad spectrum of foreigners including US government officials and lawmakers, technology professionals, human rights groups and the Western media.
The announcement suddenly vaulted Google into the role of moral crusader, placing internet freedom and security over commercial interests and trumpeting free speech and human rights.
It has also elicited strong feelings among the mainland's 384 million internet users, with some users laying flowers at Google's Beijing headquarters as a sign of support.
Apparently caught off-guard and seething with anger behind closed doors, mainland officials have tried to appear calm, playing down Google's threat and its implications, ordering the state media to tone down coverage and even refraining from naming Google in its initial responses.
But as made clear by Wang Chen - head of the State Council Information Office, a key agency responsible for internet regulation on the mainland - internet companies must abide by Chinese law and increase their scrutiny of information that could threaten social stability.