China defiant over Google threat

Internet companies doing business in China must abide by the country's censorship rules, the Chinese government has said. The statement on Thursday is the first official comment on the issue since an announcement by Google earlier this week that it will no longer abide by Chinese filtering regulations and may pull out of China altogether. Although it did not mention the search giant by name, China's State Council Information Office said internet media firms and the government had a responsibility to shape public opinion. In the statement Wang Chen, spokesman for the Chinese cabinet, warned against the spread of online pornography, fraud, cyber-attacks, and what he called "rumours" and "false information". "Our country is at a crucial stage of reform and development," he was quoted as saying, adding: "Internet media must always make nurturing positive, progressive mainstream opinion an important duty.