Senators' measure condemns China's spying

WASHINGTON, July 30 (UPI) -- Two U.S. senators introduced a resolution Wednesday calling on the Chinese government to suspend its plans to spy on visitors to the Olympic Games in Beijing.

"It is counter to the spirit of the Olympic Games for the Chinese government to spy on journalists and hotel guests," said Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., who introduced the resolution with Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky. "The global community should be outraged that journalists, human rights activists and visitors will be subjected to invasive intelligence gathering by the Chinese Public Security Bureau."

Brownback said in a news release plans to monitor Internet activities "systematically violates even the most basic human rights and freedoms."

Before being selected to host the Summer Games, China agreed to provide access to information and allow journalists to write freely for the duration the Olympiad, Brownback said.

"Today, however, the Chinese government admitted that journalists' Internet activities are also to be monitored and restricted," he said, adding that Web pages of some rights organizations would be off limits.

Bunning said he was disappointed, "yet not surprised," by the action.

"This is just one more example how this repressive regime continues to repress basic human rights and freedoms," he said.