China slams Google for violating law

China has criticized Google's move to stop censoring its Chinese-language search engine, Google dot CN. China welcomes foreign investment in the country's growing Internet industry, but insists Google has violated its written promise.

China has criticized Google's move to stop censoring its Chinese-language search engine, Google dot CN.

The State Council Information Office, which helps oversee China's Internet rules, made its remarks early Tuesday morning about two hours after Google stopped censoring its Chinese-language search engine.

Visitors to the Google dot CN web site have been redirected to the company's Hong Kong home page.

The Information Office says Google violated a written promise it made when entering the Chinese market.

The office says relevant departments of the Chinese government talked with Google twice at its request, to hear the company's intentions and demonstrate sincerity from the government. But in both meetings the government reiterated foreign companies must abide by Chinese laws and regulations.

Development of China's Internet industry over the past decade has been sound, attracting many foreign companies to invest in the market.

China's top Internet authority says the country will unswervingly adhere to the opening-up principle and welcome foreign companies' participation in the development of Internet in the country.