Red, White, and Blue fades to just Red

[Bella-Angelique]

BEIJING Feb 16, 2006 (AP)— China on Thursday defended its right to police the Internet, one day after four American technology giants appeared before Congress on charges they collaborated with Beijing to crush free speech online in return for market access.

"It is normal for countries to manage the Internet in accordance with law and to guide its development in a healthy and orderly fashion," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said. "China has also borrowed and learned from the United States and other countries in the world."

While China encourages use of the Internet for business and education, it strictly monitors the Web and censors anything it considers critical or a threat to the ruling Communist Party.

Representatives from Microsoft Corp., Yahoo Inc., Cisco Systems Inc. and Google Inc. on Wednesday faced harsh questioning from U.S. lawmakers at a hearing of a House of Representatives International Relations subcommittee in Washington.

Yahoo has been accused of providing information that led to the jailing of two of its Chinese e-mail users, while Google started a Chinese version of its popular search engine that omits links to content deemed unacceptable by the government. Microsoft shut down, at Beijing's request, a popular Chinese blog that touches on sensitive topics such as press freedoms.

plus --------

UPDATE 2-Fed's Bernanke says China's might no threat

Thursday 16 February 2006, 1:41pm EST

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(New throughout)

By Glenn Somerville

WASHINGTON, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, barraged with lawmakers' questions on Thursday over rising foreign ownership of U.S. assets, played down fears that China held enough dollars to endanger the U.S. economy.

In a second day of Capitol Hill testimony, the new central bank chief was pressed hard by Senate Banking Committee members about whether soaring U.S. trade deficits, financed by foreign borrowing, made the economy and the dollar vulnerable.

"I don't think that the Chinese ownership of U.S. assets is so large as to put our country at risk economically," Bernanke said, minimizing the possibility that China might suddenly dump some of its U.S. debt.

"It would be very much against their own interest to do so," he said, ducking a question whether these holdings gave Beijing a potential political lever over the United States.

Congressional anger toward China has grown along with soaring U.S. trade deficits that hit a record $725.8 billion in 2005 -- about 28 percent of that with China alone.

At the end of 2005, China held some $819 billion worth of U.S. assets, mostly in Treasury debt. Its U.S. holdings were surpassed only by Japan, which held $829 billion worth.

Beijing and Tokyo acquired most of their U.S. securities with money they earned from selling cars, computers and other consumer goods into U.S. markets --

[Rykster]

China sucks, not Chinese people, and it should be destroyed.

Their gov't is far worse than even the HBs view of America's "secret agenda." China is a repressive state living in the dark ages. Screw Iran, bomb China.

[TK0001]

China sucks, not Chinese people, and it should be destroyed.

Their gov't is far worse than even the HBs view of America's "secret agenda." China is a repressive state living in the dark ages. Screw Iran, bomb China.

Sure, let's do that. I'm in the mood for World War 3.

[Unlimited]

Sure, let's do that. I'm in the mood for World War 3.

If we were to fight china they'd just cut off our shoe supply and everyone would be fighting barefoot.

[HurtingSpirit]

If we were to fight china they'd just cut off our shoe supply and everyone would be fighting barefoot.

If they did that, we would just stop buying playstations, and china would be fighting without $$$

[Conspiracy]

China sucks, not Chinese people, and it should be destroyed.

Their gov't is far worse than even the HBs view of America's "secret agenda." China is a repressive state living in the dark ages. Screw Iran, bomb China.

thats prolly one of the stupidest things i heared come out of a americans mouth

[Bella-Angelique]

Interesting responses.

Thank you.

More rice and pot stickers anyone?

[Michelle]

How about trying that with saying 'a persons' mouth, Conspiracy?

I've heard some pretty stupid things from everywhere.

[__Kratos__]

The iffy trade between China and the US can all be blamed on the idiot Bill Clinton, who thought it was a fab idea. What he failed to see (how I don't know, probably because he is a stupid liberal) is that China's population, the majority, would not even be able to buy US products because they are not rich enough but the US population, the majoryity, would be able to suck up nearly any thing China wants to sell.

I'm actually surprised China lets there people wipe their butts without a written permission slip.

With this new hurt on free speech, one has to wonder about the state of how it can be upheld around the world, as it should be as a human right.

It is their country though... with their laws... no matter how much we hate them. Just like if I want to Germany as a holocaust denier preaching it, I would be arrested but I wouldn't in the US. Have to respect other countries laws.

But still... respecting them and complaining about them are two different things, so by all means... lets all complain!

Dang China!

[Unlimited]

since when did dealing with communists who run slave labor camps become so fashionable...our forefathers would be apalled...when you buy chinese products you are funding the peoples army; they own 85% of the companies. If its the chinese plan for world domination the west is playing right into there hands.. all to buy low cost trinkets that u'll forget about in 2 days.

[Michelle]

As someone that tries to buy made in the US products, it's getting almost impossible. Approximately ten manufacturers go under in Chattanooga a year. Some of them have been in business since the late 1800s. Tens of thousands of people almost ready for retirement lose every benefit they've been counting on. It's heartbreaking.

[thecreeper]

If they did that, we would just stop buying playstations, and china would be fighting without $$$

playstations come from japan, not china

[Bella-Angelique]

Sony headquarters is in Japan I know, but I have no idea where the machines are made anymore.

They might be like Microsoft. All of Microsoft except for their main headquarters in Seattle is being moved to India even as we post.

[TK0001]

As someone that tries to buy made in the US products, it's getting almost impossible. Approximately ten manufacturers go under in Chattanooga a year. Some of them have been in business since the late 1800s. Tens of thousands of people almost ready for retirement lose every benefit they've been counting on. It's heartbreaking.

And now we have CAFTA, which will make it only worse.

[Rykster]

^^^

Now that is funny!

Edited February 16, 2006 by Rykster