Google Chairman to Burma Youth: Young People Plus Technology Equals Prosperity

Says the internet will make it impossible for Myanmar to remain isolated

In Myanmar, where connection speeds often recall the dark days of dial-up modems, Google's chief had this message for university students: "Don't let the government control the Internet."

Eric Schmidt, the tech giant's executive chairman, is in Myanmar this week to sit down with the nation's president, Thein Sein, as well as local businessmen and students. His visit follows a high-profile trip to another wilderness of Web connectivity, North Korea. He is the first big name in technology to fly to Myanmar, formerly titled Burma, a poor nation still attempting to transition from an authoritarian police state to a more open society.