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Except that they are different things. Or, put another way, they are the same thing. In both cases Google is withholding information.
Every company that is doing business with China is in some way complicit with the government's oppression. The governments of the world are complicit in China's oppression by treating them as equals and clamoring for access.
The argument has long been that engagement is better than embargo as it will slowly crack open the corridors of power and bring the country around. If it is better to have manufacturing in there (and complying with Chinese laws) than not then I don't see why it isn't similarly better to have information technology in there than not (and also complying with Chinese laws).
I have no problem with a company saying "we'd rather miss out on the market than conform to Beijing's requirements" (and like to think I'd be willing to do so) but I don't see why Google would be held to a higher standard, unless we think that all the other companies doing business there are "doing evil" and therefore Google is violating it's anti-evil position.
Just because they've made a policy decision I disagree with, I don't think that automatically renders it evil.
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