Google's decision to keep its companies, staff and website in mainland China while placing controversial content just out of reach of Beijing's censors in Hong Kong was an attempt at a clever finesse. It aimed to achieve its goals of both staying in and leaving the world's biggest market.

But observers caution that the US internet company is perhaps being a bit too smart; the Chinese government's initial heavy-handed reaction to the announcement suggests Beijing is unlikely to brook much opposition.

“Redirecting traffic to Hong Kong is just a little trick,” said Fang Xingdong, an internet entrepreneur and free speech advocate who is seen as one of the fathers of blogging in China. “On the surface, Google has kicked the ball back into the Chinese government's court, but in fact it has moved itself into a dead corner.”