AP

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticizes China and other nations that restrict Internet access, calling on them to take down barriers and citing new policies to foster freedom.

Updated January 21, 2010

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Clinton Demands Unrestricted 'Net Access

FOXNews.com

Hillary Rodham Clinton blasted China and other countries that restrict Internet access to their citizens in a speech Thursday morning, citing new policy initiatives to foster freedom.

Hillary Rodham Clinton blasted China and other countries that restrict Internet access to their citizens in a speech Thursday morning, citing new policy initiatives to foster freedom.

In the wide-ranging address at Washington's Newseum, Clinton said that in the last year there has been what she called a "spike in threats to the free flow of information." She announced plans to make unrestricted access to the Internet a top foreign-policy priority.

The announcement comes in the wake of accusations last week that Chinese hackers penetrated Google's computer networks.

"We look to the Chinese government to conduct a through and transparent review" following the incident, Clinton said, arguing that countries that restrict free access to information and basic Internet freedom risk walling themselves off in the next century. She said the U.S. would address differences with China on Internet freedom "candidly and consistently."

Clinton cited Tunisia and Uzbekistan for stepping up their censorship of the Internet as well. And she said that in Vietnam, access to popular social networking sites has suddenly disappeared.

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Got to love this leader!