Google Draws Chinese Warning

A high-level Chinese minister told Google Inc. it will face serious consequences if the company stops censoring content on its Web site there.

"I hope Google can respect Chinese rules and regulations," said Li Yizhong, Minister of Industry and Information Technology, according to the Wall Street Journal.

"If you insist on taking this action that violates Chinese laws, I repeat: you are unfriendly and irresponsible, and you yourself will have to bear the consequences," Li said.

The warning didn't break new ground in the situation that began when Google said in January that it would stop censoring content on its China site. But the warning came from the highest-level official yet and followed a statement earlier in the week from Google CEO Eric Schmidt that negotiations about the search company's future in China were nearly concluded.

The Journal cited unnamed sources who said Google could stop censoring it China site within weeks but is not likely to withdraw from the country entirely. It reported that the company could make individual agreements to operate parts of its business in China.

The decision to stop censoring came after Google said in January that a cyberattack originating in China that targeted human rights activists had broken into more than 20 companies' systems. The announcement triggered an international debate over Internet censorship and espionage. China strongly denied any involvement.