Lu was in Silicon Valley last week and met with Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Tim Cook of Apple and Jeff Bezos of Amazon. Known colloquially as China's Internet regulator, Lu Wei's rather imposing title is: Chairman of State Internet Information Office, Vice-Chairman of State Council Information Office.

We do not have the full details of what was discussed at Facebook HQ. We did learn that Zuckerberg greeted Lu in Mandarin and that the Facebook founder keeps a copy of Chinese President Xi Jinxing's book on his desk. The book is appropriately titled "The Governance of China."

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These acts may not be just for show. As USA Today noted following the meeting with Lu, "Mark Zuckerberg is plowing through the speeches of China's Communist Party chief and forcing colleagues do the same."

It gets worse.

Zuckerberg apparently told Lu that he wants his chiefs to "understand socialism with Chinese characteristics."

What might these characteristics be, at least where Facebook and the Internet are concerned? Some are no doubt quite good. For example, in a 2013 speech entitled "Liberty and Order in Cyberspace," Lu stated that "in cyberspace, people with different skin colors, nationalities, cultures and languages should be equally entitled to participation, free speech and development." He added that "we should abandon prejudices, respect differences and be tolerant and open."



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Regrettably, in that very same speech Lu outlined his overarching views on "liberty and order" in cyberspace, including:

• "An Internet order that helps maintain security."



• "An Internet order that features law-based governance."

• "A cooperation mechanism for cyber security."