China: Google Case Shouldn’t Be Linked to U.S. Relations

Google Inc.’s complaints about cyber attacks and censorship in China should not be “over-interpreted” or linked to Beijing’s bilateral relations with the U.S., Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei said Thursday.

Mr. He’s comments represent the highest-level response so far to Google’s statement last week that it would stop obeying Chinese government requirements to censor its search results in China, and that it might have to leave the market as a result. The official’s statement came ahead of a scheduled speech Thursday by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Internet freedom and foreign policy in Washington D.C. in which she is expected to address the Google case.

“The Google case should not be linked with relations between the two governments and countries; otherwise, it’s an over-interpretation,” Mr. He said at a press conference, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

In last week’s statement, Google’s chief legal counsel said a sophisticated hacking operation originating from China targeted Google and at least 20 other companies. Other people familiar with the investigation have said up to 34 companies may have been affected. Google also said it planned to discuss with the Chinese government how it can continue to operate in China after it stops filtering results on the Chinese site, Google.cn. The company hopes to at least keep employees in China and continue to operate offices here, according to people briefed on the matter.

The Xinhua report didn’t specify what prompted Google’s Jan. 12 statement, saying only that the company cited “disagreements with government policies and unidentified attacks targeting its services in China” as a reason for its possible withdrawal.

Mr. He’s remarks indicate that Beijing is sticking to its low-key approach in responding to the Google case. Previously, lower-level officials have portrayed the matter as a legal and business issue that does not merit government-to-government discussion.

Officials have said Google and other foreign businesses must abide by China’s laws, and Mr. He defended China’s Internet controls as a matter of national security, according to Xinhua. “If foreign companies have different viewpoints with this regard, they should also seek solutions according to laws,” Mr. He said.

In her speech, Mrs. Clinton is expected to announce that the U.S. will make unrestricted access to the Internet a top foreign-policy priority. Last week, she said that Google’s allegations about hacking attacks from China raise “very serious concerns and questions,” and that the U.S. would “look to the Chinese government for an explanation.”