The Chinese government won't allow the spread of any information that is forbidden by law or harms national interests on the Internet, a spokesman for the Beijing Olympic Games said in Beijing on Thursday.

"We hope the media could respect relevant laws and regulations of China," said Sun Weide, the Beijing Olympics spokesman, at a press conference in the Main Press Center (MPC) of the Games.

Sun made the remarks in response to some reporters' questions about the difficulties they met in browsing certain websites.

"If a few websites are difficult to browse, it's mainly because they have spread content that is banned by the Chinese laws," explained Sun. "The Internet is regulated according to law in China, just like in other countries."

The Chinese laws forbids anyone to spread illegal information, such as preaching the Falungong Cult, or do anything that harms national interests through the Internet, said the spokesman.

During the Beijing Olympics, China will provide sufficient convenience for foreign journalists to access the Internet, said Sun.

"The channel is smooth for foreign journalists in Beijing to report the Games and report China using the Internet," he added.

On Thursday afternoon, Ian William Beer, a technician from Australia's Fairfax Media, told Xinhua that he found the Internet service of the Games "convenient and very good."

"I can get every piece of information which I need from the Internet here," said the Australian while surfing the Internet in the main press newsroom on the first floor of the MPC.

(Xinhua News Agency July 31, 2008)