China rolled back a few high-profile planks of its Internet censorship system yesterday in an apparent effort to defuse an embarrassing dispute over media freedom just days ahead of the Olympics.
Journalists arriving to cover the Games have found that a wide array of Internet sites, including human rights groups, were blocked.
But after talks between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Beijing authorities on Thursday, several sites were unblocked.
The previously barred Web sites of Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders were accessible yesterday, as were the BBC’s Chinese service and German broadcaster Deutsche Welle.
The lifting of the curbs appeared to go beyond Olympic venues, with reporters able to access those sites from an ordinary Internet portal.
However many sites were still blocked, including those linked to Chinese dissidents, Falun Gong, the Tibetan government-in-exile and sites with information on the 1989 Tiananmen massacre.
The easing followed a week of controversy after China backtracked on a pledge to allow the more than 20,000 foreign reporters covering the Games complete access to the Internet.
IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies welcomed the lifting of restrictions.
“It’s a good thing,” she said.
The IOC said it had pressed China to open up Internet access in talks on Thursday with the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee (BOCOG) and Chinese authorities.
“Following discussions the IOC held with BOCOG and Chinese authorities regarding difficulties experienced this week in accessing some Web sites, the IOC is pleased to see that the issues are being quickly resolved,” Davies said.
BOCOG spokesman Sun Weide (孫維德) said some sites remained blocked but insisted that China would guarantee “sufficient” Internet access to allow journalists to do their job.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said yesterday he would raise concerns about China’s Internet censorship when he attends the opening ceremony next week.
Meanwhile, Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) said China would stand by pledges made when it was awarded the Olympics yesterday.
“The Chinese government and the Chinese people have been working in real earnest to honor the commitments made to the international community.” Hu said.
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