China Says Its Internet Policies Are Open and Clear 181
itwbennett writes "Responding to a U.S. request to explain China's policies regarding blocking U.S. websites, China's foreign ministry said the country's Internet policies have been open and clear. 'The Chinese government encourages and actively supports the Internet's development and we also protect the freedom of expression of citizens in China,' said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu. 'We welcome foreign companies to invest and develop here, and we will continue to foster an open policy market.' The request, filed under World Trade Organization rules, is an effort to understand the trade impact of such blocking after a number of U.S. businesses have made complaints about access to their websites in China."
Their policies *are* open and clear (Score:3, Informative)
Chinas' internet policies *are* open and clear! They are very open with their policies, and very clear with their policies!
Eg: Its very clear that they will block any sites they deem detrimental to the communist party, the state, the army or anything else they deem inappropriate. They are quite open with this policy. They will tell anyone who asks, and will even inform people who didn't ask. Its their *internet* that isn't open or clear, but their *internet policies* are very open and clear. Call it semantics if you like, or even pedantic, but its true. I have every expectation that is exactly what they meant.
More concise translation to follow: (Score:4, Informative)
'The Chinese government encourages and actively supports the Internet's development and we also protect the freedom of expression of citizens in China,'
Translation: 'The Chinese government encourages and actively supports the Internet's development as a State-controlled and censored network and we also protect the State-monitored and scripted freedom of expression of citizens in China,'
'We welcome foreign companies to invest and develop here, and we will continue to foster an open policy market.'
Translation: 'We welcome foreign companies to invest and develop here as long as they conform to State-mandated censorship policies and anything else we care to dictate to them, and we will continue to foster the illusion of an open policy market.'
..and before any of you decide to moderate me down as a "Troll": Yes, I strongly dislike the Chinese government, and would sooner trust the word of some strung-out meth-head with the DT's than anything they would say -- and furthermore I think you're a fool if you think otherwise.