Journalists covering the Beijing Games learned Friday they will have access to some Internet sites that were blocked by the Chinese earlier this week.
Officials with the International Olympic Committee and the Chinese government met late into Thursday night to reach an agreement to open some websites the government had considered controversial. Some websites had already been unblocked on Friday, but others will remain blocked, even during the Games.
"Chinese officials are allowing (access) to certain websites they said would be blocked, including those of Amnesty International and some other human rights groups, along with some other media sites that were originally blocked like the BBC's Chinese version," Beijing Bureau Chief Steve Chao told CTV's Canada AM by phone from China on Friday.
However, international media will not have unfettered access to all websites, said Kevan Gosper, the press commission head of the IOC. Websites for groups such as the Falon Gong and Tibetan exiles will remain blocked because they would contradict Chinese laws.
On Friday, he said the IOC was working with the Chinese in an effort at "unblocking sites that we believe were unreasonably blocked."
"We have always had an understanding, and we haven't necessarily talked about it, that any sovereign government will block pornographic sites and what they might consider subversive, or sites which are contrary to the national interest," Gosper said.
Gosper noted, however, journalists would have Internet access similar to that at previous Olympic Games.
"I would suggest also that we are not working in a democratic society, we're working in a communist society. This is China, and they are proud to be a communist society. So it will be different. In terms of all other matters ... I believe we are now on the way to getting there," he said.
China has been hoping to use this month's Games to showcase the country on the international stage. But critics of China's human rights record have also used the lead-up to the Games to stage protests around the world.
Chinese President Hu Jintao said Friday he hoped the Olympics would remain free of politics.
"I don't think politicising the Olympic Games will do any good to address these issues," he said. "It runs counter to the Olympic spirit and also to the shared aspirations of the people of the world," Hu told reporters on Friday.
Chao said Beijing's original decision to block some sites conflicted with assurances of open press access Chinese officials made when they were awarded the games in 2001. There was some dissension within IOC ranks this week when it was learned some Olympic officials knew China would block websites.
"Usually, the IOC speaks with one voice," Chao said.
"But we're seeing a lot of talk from different members from (several) countries, especially Australia, who have come out and said that they disagree with the fact that some senior IOC members apparently agreed or conceded to allow Beijing to ... put in some Internet censorship."
With files from The Associated Press
