I'm the last person to be an apologist for the Great Firewall, but how does it preclude the OP's point? The Chinese-language web and Chinese Internet users represent a pretty sizeable chuck, to the point that it's self-sustainable and innovation definitely occurs within this space. The Great Firewall just results in a walled garden; access to Facebook isn't going to magically spur innovation!

(Don't get me wrong: The Great Firewall is not a good thing, but I don't see it being wholly relevant here.)