China is plugging the last holes in its “Great Firewall” internet censorship apparatus, hampering global groups’ ability to operate in the country.

Five international companies and organisations told the Financial Times that access to the global internet from their Chinese offices has been disrupted in recent months. Some of the companies blamed Chinese telecoms providers, saying the groups blocked crucial software used to bypass censorship.

China aggressively censors the internet, cutting off locals’ access to Facebook, Google, YouTube and much more, to control what news and facts reach its population. A study by Freedom House, a US state-funded non-profit organisation, in November ranked China last in the world for internet freedoms, for the third year in a row.