US urges China to drop Internet filter rule

Top US trade officials said on Wednesday that they have written to the Chinese government urging it to drop a new rule requiring all computers to be fitted with Internet filtering software.

Top US trade officials said on Wednesday that they have written to the Chinese government urging it to drop a new rule requiring all computers to be fitted with Internet filtering software.

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Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said China may be violating its World Trade Organization obligations by requiring all computers sold in the country from July 1 to carry the "Green Dam" program.

"China is putting companies in an untenable position by requiring them, with virtually no public notice, to pre-install software that appears to have broad-based censorship implications and network security issues," Locke said.