U.S. to press China on encryption rules

WASHINGTON, Jan 27 (Reuters) - The United States will press China to explain new regulations on encryption technology at a meeting of economic leaders in Davos, Switzerland, U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky said on Thursday.

"I'll be meeting with the Chinese in Davos and this is going to be an important subject of discussion," Barshefsky told reporters before leaving for the World Economic Forum's six-day annual meeting.

"We'll be taking a very careful look at this," she added.

Under regulations that take effect on Monday, all foreign and Chinese companies or individuals using encryption technology, which protects electronic communication from eavesdropping, must register with the government.

The registration is the first step in a move to force foreign companies to reveal their encryption secrets and possibly an outright ban on the sale of foreign encryption products in China.

The rules also threatened to complicate China's efforts to join the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Critics of China in the U.S. Congress have seized on the issue. Rep. Christopher Cox, a California Republican, said China's move "flies in the face of their stated willingness to live by the norms of the World Trade Organization".

China has sought to reassure foreign investors over sweeping new regulations, which could restrict sales of everything from imported software to mobile phones.

"This will not affect the pace of foreign companies entering China," Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao told reporters.[while holding a suspended silver pocketwatch in front of their faces and speaking with an odd tone of voice...]

Encryption technology is embedded in everything from Internet servers and desktop software to cellular phones and cable television systems.

) copyright 2000 Reuters, Ltd.

-- Possible Impact (posim@hotmail.com), January 27, 2000

Answers

Ah, Bill's Chinese money-buddies are up to their usual sneaky tricks! How strange that anyone in his admin. would challenge them? This must be pretty serious stuff.

-- Truth (DontLike@Traitors.com), January 27, 2000.

LOL, if the Chinese are anything like the Japanese, the upper crust would be insulted for you to think them computer users; that's a clerical job!

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), January 27, 2000.

FWIW, executives at Canon don't even know how to use a spreadsheet, and take offense to the suggestion that they might!

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), January 27, 2000.