The New York Times website is working perfectly, as tested from four different Internet connections in the capital this evening.
Perhaps it is a Passover gift to the Jews of Beijing. Hach Sameach!
However, it seems that the problem was nothing to do with a block, but rather related to the website’s recent redesign. The home page is now 6 columns wide in some parts, and features video, different types of links, a bunch of different ad formats etc.