Why would one not set up a tunnel? Honest question.
They are are studying techniques that could identify encrypted traffic…Such as in,
www.atlantis-press.com/php/paper-details.php?id=9963
and
security.riit.tsinghua.edu.cn/share/classify_encrypted.pdf
they would simply block or disrupt anything that is encrypted, but perhaps would allow pass to those who agree to cooperate with the censorship (by using a white list)...