Sometimes authorities in China squeeze with one hand and caress with the other.

In the last few days, they've relaxed their grip on the internet in a notable fashion: They've stopped blocking online access to the Chinese-language version of Wikipedia, the user-generated encyclopedia.

Last month, they unblocked access to the English version as well.

For an interesting commentary on why China may have made the U-turn, click here. It is commentary from Andrew Lih, the former Columbia University professor who first reported the lifting of the censorship.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Chinese users are already flocking to the site.

China began blocking both Chinese- and English-language Wikipedia in October 2005.  Social commentarists complained that the ban hindered the ability of Chinese intellectuals to put a Chinese perspective in Wikipedia articles, which are written by users.