What could be better than bringing the world's most popular search engine together with the world's most populous country? Especially when you consider that the most populous country, China, is Internet crazy?

It sounds like a match made in heaven, but for Google it has been anything but heavenly. From a lawsuit over the hiring of former Microsoft guru Kaifu Lee to criticism and a congressional grilling following its launch of a censored google.cn site, to a surprisingly cold reception for their Chinese name, it's been an uphill climb.

The most serious issue has been Google's delicate dance with the Chinese authorities to ensure that its search engine remains available to Chinese users. In a recent AP article, it sounded like co-founder Sergey Brin wondered aloud if the company had gone too far in compromising its principles to adhere to Chinese Internet restrictions.

Brin said Google is trying to improve its censored search service, Google.cn, before deciding whether to reverse course. He said virtually all the company's customers in China use the uncensored service.

"It's perfectly reasonable to do something different, to say, 'Look, we're going to stand by the principle against censorship, and we won't actually operate there.' That's an alternate path," Brin said.

To me, it seems odd to discover your principles this late in the process, but I find the candid admission that the management of Google would even consider an about face on China surprising. Brin made clear that his statement was purely speculative, and follow-up coverage has emphasized that point. But it was, nevertheless, an interesting statement at an interesting time.

Before I go on, let me make my own position clear: I applauded Google's entry into China because I felt that more choices are good and that Google has taken some sound steps to be transparent with its Chinese users. (As a professional PR person, however, I do feel that American Internet companies have done a very bad job of communicating about their China ventures.)

It would be a very big deal if Google ever did decide to pull out of China. I wonder what back story there might be behind Brin's statement. Even if there is very little chance of them making an about face any time soon, are they sending out a message? I have no doubt that Google's executives constantly consider how operating in China reflects on their principles. But I am also sure they consider how it reflects on their business. Google didn't enter China just to bring the miracle of great Internet search to Chinese users. It entered China to grow its business. To do that it needs to be able to compete with other companies, including Chinese company Baidu which owns the largest share of Chinese searches.

Although it's number two to Baidu, Google is popular in China. But, for whatever reason--and I'm sure you'll have some theories--it's the overseas uncensored Chinese language search that is popular, not the more limited google.cn site. But, as Reuters reported, in recent days Google's overseas service has been very spotty in much of China. Reporter Sans Frontiers issued a very strong statement about this, but some China bloggers think they went over the top. "A disruption, not a block," as one wrote.

But as long as google.com is the site that Chinese users are going to, a disruption is still serious business for Google. If Google wants to build a healthy business here, it either needs Chinese users to move to the consistently available google.cn site or it needs to ensure that google.com stays accessible. In the second article linked to the above, Brin said:

"If you are a normal Chinese user and you want to use Google, just go to google.com and you actually won't get good service. Eventually you will go to google.cn."

If you're a Chinese user, will you go to google.cn instead? Google.cn still isn't popular months after it was launched. I wonder if that's simply because google.com has the momentum, or if it's because Chinese users who do use the international site are looking for something they don't think they can get from google.cn. If google.com continues to be "disrupted" and users don't migrate to google.cn, where will they go? And what will that mean for Google's business in China?

Pulling out of China for principles is believable, but only distantly. Pulling out because it has decided it can't make the business work makes much more sense to me. It will be interesting to see what happens over the next few months. Personally, I would be disappointed to see Google leave China for any reason.