&gt; It boils down to Google HQ, especially the three founders, didn&#x27;t grant much power to local team<p>You sure it was that, and not China trying repeatedly (and successfully) stealing Google&#x27;s source code? (Source: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.reuters.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;china-google-idUSN0325873820100303" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.reuters.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;china-google-idUSN03258738201...</a>)<p>And then hacking Google again to commit corporate espionage and steal U.S industrial secrets? (Source: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.nydailynews.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;world&#x2F;security-experts-china-hacked-google-steal-u-s-industrial-secrets-article-1.195263" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.nydailynews.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;world&#x2F;security-experts-china...</a>) Or any number of other attacks, backstabbing or a lack of cooperation from China&#x27;s government?<p>Google left China because it just wasn&#x27;t worth it to them to do business there anymore. Especially when your own research into the security breach shows the host country&#x27;s government is facilitating the attacks on your company. I&#x27;d leave too... Then again, I wouldn&#x27;t have been there in the first place.