Periodically journalist friends ask me who can comment on China Internet issues. The list of people I send them to is pretty short. Someone who's always near the top is Sam Flemming of CIC, a company in Shanghai that specializes in watching what is unfolding in the China blogosphere and forums and analyzing it for corporate clients.

CIC has recently completed an office move, a rebranding and a revamp of its websites. Sam has retired his interesting personal blog, the China World of Mouth Blog, and replaced with a blog called "See I See" (CIC -- geddit?) to which he and several other CIC employees contribute. The blog is billed as one to "...make sense of IWOM from PR, marketing and branding perspectives". It includes both English and Chinese posts.

Posted on the blog is a "CIC Watch Review" looking at the events that unfolded on the China Internet in the second half of the year. It's well worth a download and read if you're interested in the Internet or PR in China.

I've found Sam to be one of the most acute observers of the Internet in China, and his company is one to watch. Many PR companies --including mine-- claim to have a handle on what's unfolding on the Internet. Very few actually do, at least in any depth. Specialist companies like CIC are still out in front of most big, full-service agencies. Fortunately, they're happy to work with us!

Congrats on the new changes, Sam.

Disclosure: Sam's a buddy.
Cross-posted on CNET Asia.