China may remove the ban on Facebook, Twitter, and some news sites like that of the New York Times, within a 28.8 square kilometers proposed free-trade zone in Shangai. Sites like Facebook, which the government feel may be politically sensitive, have been banned in the mainland since around 2009.

A report by George Chen of the South China Morning Post, quotes government officials who remain anonymous, saying that the move was aimed at attracting foreign investments and workers in China.

The Chinese government will also reportedly allow foreign telecom companies to compete against the state-owned incumbents China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom within the free-trade zone.

[Image courtesy: Shanghai Municipal Government]