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International Olympic Committee inspectors have told Beijing that the Internet must be open and uncensored during all of the Olympic games this summer.

BEIJING 2008
(Photo Credit: Olympic.org)

China has a well-known reputation of blocking and censoring sites on the Internet that it considers politically subversive or pornographic. "Even this morning, we discussed and insisted again .... that the Internet is open at all times during Games time," IOC coordination commission vice chairman Kevan Gosper told reporters.

"Our concern is that the press is able to operate as it has at previous Games during Games time," Gosper said. "I'm satisfied that the Chinese understand the need for this and that they will do it."

Gosper said that if China did block the Internet during the Games it "would reflect very poorly" on the country. He did believe the Chinese would fulfill the obligations of their agreement.

"They've given us a huge commitment and changed their legislation extensively to enable the international press to report on the Games," he said.

New laws lifting restrictions on foreign media in China went into effect on January 1 last year and will expire in October.

The Coordination Commission will hold their 10th and last series of meetings with Beijing organizers from Tuesday to Thursday.