China's top censor says there is no internet censorship in China

Lu Wei, chief of the State Internet Information Office, also known as the "gatekeeper" of the country's internet, says that china does not censor it at all.  Instead, he says, they "manage" it.

While answering questions ahead of the Second World Internet Conference, held in Zhejiang’s famous water town of Wuzhen, Lu said “it is a misuse of words if you say ‘content censorship.’ But no censorship does not mean there is no management. The Chinese government learnt how to manage the internet from Western developed countries, we have not learnt enough yet."

He added that they block some foreign websites because they have "the right to choose friends.

“As for who comes to my home, indeed I have to choose [to make sure] those who come are friends. We don’t welcome those who earn China’s money, take China’s market, and then slander China.”

Lu and Mark Zuckerberg in 2014

A 2015 poll taken by the US-funded group Freedom House saw China coming in last of 65 countries on the group's internet freedom ranking.  They have been declining in freedom since 2012, according to the group.

Lu denies that they are working with a closed internet.  “China’s open door will never be closed, we are open to the world’s internet companies. As long as [companies] do not harm China’s national interests, do no harm [to] the interests of Chinese consumers, we welcome [them] to develop in China.”