Clinton warns hackers; China warns Clinton

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry answered a U.S. warning against cyberattacks with a warning to stop using Internet freedom to make accusations against China.

Clinton Thursday said the United States would defend itself from cyberattacks, the first time in which a senior U.S. official intimated Internet freedom would be part of U.S. foreign policy, The New York Times reported Friday.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry Friday posted on its Web site: "We urge the U.S. side to respect facts and stop using the so-called freedom of the Internet to make unjustified accusations against China."

In her remarks, Clinton said countries or individuals engaged in cyberattacks should face consequences and "international condemnation."

"Those who disrupt the free flow of information in our society or any other pose a threat to our economy, our government and our civil society," she said.

Clinton's remarks came as search engine giant Google maintains it was subject to a sophisticated attack originating from mainland China. Clinton called for China to investigate the Mountain View, Calif., company's claims openly.

The United States backs Google in its defiance of the Chinese government's requirement that the company censor its Chinese-language search engine, Clinton said.

"Censorship should not be in any way accepted by any company from anywhere," she said. "American companies need to take a principled stand. This needs to be part of our national brand."

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Tunisia, Vietnam and Uzbekistan also were identified by Clinton as countries that restrict Internet freedom, the Times said.

"I really thought this was groundbreaking. She showed no hesitation in naming countries, including U.S. allies, for suppressing speech on the Internet," Tom Malinowski, Human Rights Watch's Washington advocacy director, told the Times. "She made a very strong case for connecting Internet freedom to core American national security interests."