Sparring partners must bury hatchet, break bread

Google's announcement this week that it plans to withdraw from China is a sad turn of events for both the company and the country. Both have benefited and contributed to each other's development. Hopefully a painful divorce can yet be averted.

Can China do without Google?

At first glance, of course the answer is yes. The jump in the share price of Google's competitor Baidu speaks to that.