Pichai added that Google was "currently not in discussions" with Chinese officials. He also provided a non-committal answer when asked if Google would promise not to create a tool enabling Chinese surveillance. "It's in our duty to explore possibilities, to give users access to information," he said.

The responses aren't completely surprising. Pichai had previously characterized Dragonfly as an exploratory project, and that he thought it was important to take a "longer-term view" that considered the value of deeper and more accurate information for Chinese internet users. His testimony is consistent with that perspective and gives the company the freedom to either rollout Dragonfly or quietly shelve it if the backlash is too strong to ignore.