Chinese editorials blast U.S. stance on Internet policy

by Steve Ragan - Jan 26 2010, 16:05

A series of editorials published in China’s state-run newspapers over the weekend blasted U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the U.S. in general for naked political scheming, taking a moral high ground on Internet censorship, and empty rhetoric.

Starting things off, an item published in the People’s Daily noted that: “The US was the first country in the world to introduce the concept of cyberwar; it has introduced and developed a new kind of army, a cyberarmy, and even set up a hacker brigade.”

The accusation of a U.S.-developed cyberarmy was followed by a quick succession of anti-American notes written by Wang Xiaoyang, including the observation that The United States sparked unrest in Iran by supporting online demonstrators on Twitter and YouTube.

“Behind what America calls free speech is naked political scheming,” the writer suggested. “How did the unrest after the Iranian elections come about? It was because online warfare launched by America, via YouTube video and Twitter microblogging, spread rumors, created splits, stirred up, and sowed discord between the followers of conservative and reformist factions, engaged in veiled infiltration and instigation, which led to large-scale bloody conflict in Iran.”

Xiaoyang also noted that “only information controlled by America is free information, only news acknowledged by America is free news, only speech approved by America is free speech, and only information flow that suits American interests is free information flow.” He also went on to wonder if obscene information or activities promoting terrorism would be allowed on the Internet in the United States.

Another editorial talked about Secretary Clinton’s recent speech, during which she mentioned China in reference to countries that have seen a spike in threats to the free flow of information, noting that Chinese authorities “cut off public Web access entirely to [the] Western region, a portion of which they have only recently begun restoring.”

In response, the editorial asked the U.S. to explain the logic behind Microsoft announcing the restriction of its instant messaging services in Cuba, Iran, Syria, Sudan, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. This, the editorial explains, makes Secretary Clinton’s idea of network freedom “an illusion of freedom only.”

A more recent editorial, published on Tuesday, took aim at the censorship issue in addition to Secretary Clinton’s speech, noting that “every country has its own laws to regulate the Net and combat illegal actions, and the U.S. is no exception. Nor should be China.”

“In this age of globalization, free flow of information is precious, but not without obeying laws,” the editorial in China Daily added. “In one word, the Internet is both free and regulated. The question of Internet freedom in any country is connected with local customs and cultural traditions, and should not be politicized.”

Lastly, an editorial published on Xinhua raised the double standards issue with a summation that said the move by the U.S. to make Internet freedom an issue “just indicates its continued application of double standards.”

“People just wish that the United States will respect facts and treat others equally. It is not acceptable for someone to assume for themselves the high moral ground and arbitrarily make baseless charges against others.”

All of this is just the latest battle in the ongoing war of words between the U.S. State Department and the People’s Republic of China.

It started with the disclosure from Google. Now it is political and, for that reason alone, it’s likely going to get messy before it ends. Nobody likes to lose face in a political match. When it comes to the U.S. and China, political face means everything.

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