China's right to impose domestic Internet policy defended at forum
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday told a group of high-tech executives that a secure cyberspace is a priority for China, while calling for constructive talks on cyber issues between the two countries on the basis of mutual respect and trust. [Special coverage]
"China advocates the building of a peaceful, secure, open and cooperative cyberspace and maintains that every country should institute its own Internet policy in line with its own national conditions," Xi said at the conclusion of the 8th U.S.-China Internet Industry Forum on Wednesday.
The Chinese president also noted that with the rapid development of information technology, the Internet plays an increasingly important role in the peace and development of individual countries and the world.
Over 200 Chinese and U.S. high-tech executives, regulators and leading academics attended the forum at Microsoft's Redmond campus, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and Alibaba CEO Jack Ma.
Seven deals or memoranda of understanding were signed between Chinese and U.S. companies on the sidelines of the forum, including an agreement between Microsoft and China's Baidu to boost the Windows 10 upgrade in China.
At Microsoft, Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan also watched the demonstration of a series of high-tech products, including Microsoft HoloLens, a world-leading holographic computer.
Driving force
Xi said at the forum that "countries should formulate Internet-related public policies in line with their respective national realities."
"Since the Internet has become a new driving force for the economy and social development, China must take more efforts to keep a secure and stable cyberspace," Zhu Feng, a professor at the School of International Studies of Peking University, told the Global Times on Thursday.
Xi's remarks show that China attaches great importance to cyberspace sovereignty, Qin An, a cyber security expert at the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy, told the Global Times.
"Building a secure and stable cyberspace is consistent with China's goal of fighting cyber crimes and terrorism and increasing the national defense capability in cyber space," said Qin.
Lu Wei, head of the Cyberspace Administration of China, said at the beginning of Wednesday's forum that the U.S. should not expect China to adopt the same policies toward the Internet due to China's distinct history and level of economic development, the Seattle Times reported.
"China has taken a different approach in managing the Internet due to the immature development of the Internet in China and imperfect laws in this field," said Zhu.
'404 Not Found'
Meanwhile, photos of Xi and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg shaking hands and speaking to each other have gone viral on China's Internet, with some Net users joking that the founder of the "404 Not Found Web" page has finally met its regulator.
Facebook is blocked in China and attempts to access the link would lead to a page that says "404 Not Found."
Zuckerberg later wrote on his Facebook page that he chatted with Xi in Chinese and it was the first time he'd ever spoken with a world leader entirely in a foreign language.
"The government should take a more proactive and confident approach to balance the demand for a secure cyberspace and the public's need for an open channel to communicate with the outside world," said Zhu.
Qin said that China's huge lucrative consumer market is another reason that some high-tech companies have accused China of having a restricted Internet.
The two countries should join hands on the basis of a consensus that their biggest enemy is not each other but the spread of terrorism via the Internet, said Qin.
