HEARD ELSEWHERE

Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2006 | 5:43 a.m.

From a Raleigh (N.C.) News & Observer editorial on China's 'firewall': Given a choice between a billion customers and democratic principles, it's no contest for some American businesses. But when their choice conflicts with U.S. foreign policy, it's up to the government to intercede. The big names in the U.S. technology industry recently were invited to a congressional hearing. As it turned out, they were the main course. Microsoft, Cisco and others were skewered for helping the Chinese government use their technologies for censorship and other types of oppression. "Cooperation with tyranny should not be embraced for the sake of profits," said Rep. Chris Smith, the New Jersey Republican who convened the hearing. Three cheers for that. Still, the question is what will the U.S. government do about it. Conducting business in China requires self-censorship, said Elliot Shrage, Google's president. And indeed, it may not be feas! ible for American employers to expect their Chinese workers to violate the dictates of their government. ... American diplomats ought to be registering protests with the Chinese government when newspapers are shut down or editors fired, jailed or worse. An occasional rebuke from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice or President Bush wouldn't hurt.