BEIJING, Dec. 14 (Xinhua/China Daily)-- The Chinese government has always prohibited attacks on the Internet, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular press conference Tuesday afternoon.

    "Any work units and individuals are not permitted to use the internet to be engaged in illegal activities or commit crimes," Qin said.

    Qin made the remarks when commenting on a recent report by a US research institute which says that the Chinese military is probably behind an organized hacker attack on US government computers.

    It is illegal to assault the Internet, Qin said, adding that China currently has promulgated several laws on the protection of the internet security, and the relevant regulations are stipulated in the criminal law.

    Qin said Chinese public security organs would make laws to deal with those who uses the Internet to commit crimes, including those who assault the Internet itself.

    "What grounds does the U.S. have for this accusation," Qin queried,, asking the US side to present its proven evidence if it has any.

    Alan Paller, the director of the SANS Institute, an education and research organization focusing on cybersecurity, claimed on Monday that the attacks have been traced to the southern Chinese province of Guangdong.

    Paller said the techniques used made it appear unlikely to come from any other source than the Chinese military.

    East Asian cooperation

    China adheres to the principle of openness and transparency in the process of the Aast Asian cooperation, Qin Gang said.

    "China holds that east Asian cooperation should be open and transparent, and it is in opposition to any exclusive regional cooperation targetting to any third party."

    Qin made the remarks when commenting on the nonparticipation of the United States in the East Asian Summit.

    He went on to say that east Asian cooperation should benefit the cooperation of the nations in the region, and help advance the common development of the region and other regions.

    "In this regard, China respects the consensus reached by the ASEAN nations, and supports them to play a leading role in this process," the spokesman noted.

    Doha round

    China hopes WTO's Doha Round of free trade talks to solve the problems mostly concerned by developing countries, Qin Gang said.

    It is essential to give necessary special and discriminatory treatment to them and "to reserve space for their strategic development," Qin said at the regular press conference.

    Qin acknowledged the Doha round must be a round of development,and that development must be ensured as its theme.

    The Doha round should make efforts to practically carry forward the process of trade liberalization and essentially increase the opportunity of market access for WTO developing members and take into consideration their problems in the process of trade liberalization.

    China will play a positive role in bringing about a success to the Doha round and the Hong Kong Ministerial meeting, which is being held from December 13 to 18, the spokesman said.