China Says U.S. Accusations are 'Groundless'

By Marcus Yam
published

The saga continues in the ongoing Google China drama series.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton yesterday in a speech called on the Chinese government to look at the recent happenings leading up to Google's threat to pull out of China.

Clinton said in Washington, "We look to the Chinese authorities to conduct a thorough review of the activities that led Google to make its announcements… Chinese authorities need to provide an explanation for the cyberattacks originating on Chinese soil…"

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has responded indirectly to those comments through a spokesman comment on its website.

"The U.S. has criticized China’s policies to administer the Internet and insinuated that China restricts Internet freedom," said spokesman Ma Zhaoxu, as translated by Wired. "This runs contrary to the facts and is harmful to China-U.S. relations. We urge the United States to respect the facts and cease using so-called Internet freedom to make groundless accusations against China."

The Chinese spokesman did add that the government didn't want issue with Google to overwhelm cooperation with the Obama government. Ma said each side should "appropriately handle rifts and sensitive issues, protecting the healthy and stable development of China-U.S. relations."

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
66 Comments Comment from the forums
  • mp562
    Good for Hilary, it's about time someone speaks up.
    Reply
  • happi
    It's politic, nobody knows the real truth, they all twist and turn using words.

    If China really did it, you think they would admit that they did?
    On other hand US gov want a pinch at China ways of doing things
    Reply
  • IzzyCraft
    eh it's china fault every country does a bit of hacking espionage but china does a ways too much it's starting to tick people off.
    Reply
  • doc70
    This is so typical of communist regimes, they lie in your face and call white as black while you look at it and see that it is white.
    Did not expect any other answer from them...question is, will the US accept this and look the other way, as it has done repeatedly whenever China was involved, or will take a different stance this time? I am willing to bet on the first option.
    Reply
  • logitic
    There is an old saying I want to bring up here...


    "Don't bite the hand that feeds you!"

    We are so in dept to China Hilary needs to keep her ill informed trap shot!
    Reply
  • happi
    logiticThere is an old saying I want to bring up here..."Don't bite the hand that feeds you!"We are so in dept to China Hilary needs to keep her ill informed trap shot!
    China is so rich to lend out so much money, maybe use the money to better its citizen life style?
    Reply
  • gorehound
    The only thing I dislike about China is it's Government.I do love the country,people,the foods,the films, etc.
    We have a lot of Asians who live here in Portland, Maine.
    Reply
  • Gulli
    "The U.S. has criticized China’s policies to administer the Internet and insinuated that China restricts Internet freedom," said spokesman Ma Zhaoxu, as translated by Wired. "This runs contrary to the facts..."

    Right, I wonder how the Chinese dictionary explains the word "freedom"...
    Mr. Zhaoxu knew he was lying, his superiors knew he was lying, the whole world knew he was lying, it's ridiculous how this regime embarrasses itself to stay in power.
    Reply
  • haunted one
    If politicians were pinacchio's they could probably bridge the Pacific with their noses. LOL
    Reply
  • aford10
    We should believe them, because China has always been forthcoming and truthful.
    Reply