Google's accusation that it was attacked by Chinese hackers and its insinuation against the Chinese government was "groundless and unreasonable," a spokesman of China's political advisory body said Tuesday.

"Chinese laws and regulations strictly prohibit hacker attacks of any kind, and have laid down legal punishment for those offenders," Zhao Qizheng, spokesman of the third session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said at a press conference, which is scheduled to begin Wednesday.

"I myself have been attacked by hackers, and I strongly detest hackers," he said.

His comments came about six weeks after Google's corporate development and chief legal officer, David Drummond, wrote on the company's official blog site in January, saying the company was to "review the feasibility of our business operations in China."

According to Drummond, the disputes with the Chinese government on Internet regulation and major cyber attacks on his company, which allegedly originated from China, have forced Google to consider exiting from China.

Recalling his working experience in the Information Office of China's State Council in 2005, Zhao Qizheng said Google had studied China's laws and regulations "word by word" in 2005 before it entered the Chinese market, and had pledged to abide by the laws and regulations.

"Now they (Google) say they were attacked by Chinese hackers, insinuating that they were attacked by the Chinese government. It is completely groundless and unreasonable," he said.

He said Internet in China was open, and would continue to provide a sound investment environment for overseas investors and protect their legitimate rights.

"We welcome investors, including international Internet companies, from other countries to operate in China, and hope the investors to respect the Chinese public's interests, the nation's traditional culture and its laws and regulations, and shoulder their due social responsibilities," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 3, 2010)