Eighteen months later, nearly half the students had not bothered to use their unfettered internet access. Of those who had used it, less than 5% browsed foreign news websites. One reason for this low uptake was the belief that such uncensored information was simply not valuable. Their curiosity had effectively been neutered. The researchers conclude that lifting censorship on the internet is unlikely to be effective because Chinese citizens have such low demand for uncensored information.
Lifting censorship should be effective for what? Did I miss something or what was the point of lifting censorship? Sure, the censorship is superfluous and unnecessary, that's true. It's easy to go over the wall and you won't be punished if you do it. But yes, there is not much interest to do so and the authorities don't care very much if someone do. But there are other reasons for not allowing pages like Google, youtube and Facebook as well. China already have their own versions of search engines and social media. Why would they want these western companies to earn money on the Chinese market? Are Google and Facebook really the only way to communicate with the other side of the world? Of course not.
Anyway, many things goes in the right direction in China to a more open and equal society and Xi seems to want to do good things. We'll see what will happen in the next few years.