Come clean on Google's charges: Obama admn to China

I / Washington January 20, 2010, 12:48 IST

Taking "serious" note of internet giant Google's allegations that Chinese authorities indulged in e-mail hacking and censorship, the Obama administration has sought explanation from Beijing on the issue.

"Specifically on the Google-China issue, I think it would be fair to say that the US government has had multiple meetings with Chinese authorities on this matter and will have more in the coming days," Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Kurt Campbell, said.

It is also a matter that the Obama administration is taking "very seriously", he told reporters here yesterday. "As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said last week, that the whole issue does raise serious concerns."

"Now, it is also clear that China has denied the allegations made by Google. But we also think that the Chinese are in the best position to explain this, and we are asking them for an explanation," Campbell said in response to a question.

China yesterday told Google Inc that it would not make an "exception" for it and asked the company to observe Chinese laws and shoulder its "social responsibilities" if it had to do business in the world's most populous nation.

Google last week claimed that a sophisticated attack in December from China targeted the California-based company's infrastructure and at least 20 other major firms from the internet, financial services, technology, media and chemical industries. It also said dozens of people pressing for human rights in China had had their e-mails hacked.