Washington – Following a
speech on Thursday by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that criticized
Internet censorship in countries including China, China
responded harshly, urging the U.S.
"to respect the truth and to stop using the so-called Internet freedom
question to level baseless accusations," The New York Times reported,
citing the local Global Times. In her speech, Clinton said that "a new information curtain is descending across much of the
world."
Ma Zhaoxu, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, asserted
in the Global Times that "The Chinese Internet is open," adding,
"The U.S. campaign for uncensored and free flow of information on an
unrestricted Internet is a disguised attempt to impose its values on other cultures
in the name of democracy."
The blunt talk is the latest escalation after
Google (NASD: GOOG) suffered a malicious attack on its Gmail service that targeted the
accounts of Chinese human rights activists.
The company responded by saying it
would no longer censor its search results in China at the behest of the Chinese
government, and in fact is considering a complete exit from the Chinese market.
Mrs. Clinton’s speech intensified the dispute, with the Global Times noting in
an editorial that Clinton "had raised the
stakes in Washington’s clash with Beijing over Internet
freedom."
"The U.S.
government’s ideological imposition is unacceptable and, for that reason, will
not be allowed to succeed," said China’s Ma Zhaoxu.
Related Links:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/23/world/asia/23diplo.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-10438686-265.html
(Clinton
speech)
yup, foisting our values of freely available information.
how DARE we!
Hilariously chinese that letting people learn what they want is a “ideological imposition.”
i’d sure hate to impose the tyranny of personal freedom, the rule of law, and a government that isn’t pure evil. that WOULD be a imposition.
For people whom had never really been in China for years would not understand the “why” is there a need for the Chinese Govt. to do and to insert such controls mechanics in China. I m an expat that have been staying in China for 9 years now and I do see and understand the Chinese Govt. reason for doing so. Not all of the Chinese Govt. techniques and methods are right but when they are wrong they will slowly amend it eventually.
Stability in a 1.3B population is key importance and China is just opening up so it will take time and eventually they will have full FREEDOM but till that day those that do not really understands China “China” should really not make such huge negative comments on China.
Some policies in China do affect my business nature but I respect the Chinese Govt. decisions and play along with it and adapt along with it to enable my business to prosper and continue to grow here. Each country have their laws and policies which best suit what’s best for that country.