Like other Chinese-Americans in her community, Montgomery Mayor Cecilia Xie Birge tuned into the Olympics with pride.

The "glorious" opening ceremony illustrated how much her homeland has changed since she left to study in the United States 18 years ago, she said. But some things are much the same.

Running for Somerset County freeholder, Birge posted a biography on a website which mentions that she participated in student demonstrations in Tiananmen Square in 1989, which ultimately were crushed by the Chinese military.

From family and friends in China, she has learned the government has blocked access to her website, www.birgegroup.com .

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