China warns US on push for Internet freedom

BEIJING (AP) — China has warned the United States not to use calls for Internet freedom as a pretext to interfere in other countries.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu made the comment Tuesday when asked about Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s speech on Internet freedom earlier this week.

Clinton said the administration would spend $ 25 million this year on initiatives designed to protect bloggers and help them get around curbs such as the so-called Great Firewall of China, the gagging of social media sites in countries including Iran and Egypt’s recent unsuccessful attempt to thwart anti-government protests by pulling the plug on online communication.

Ma repeated previous statements that online users in China enjoy freedom of speech “in accordance with the law.”

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