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MONTREAL (AFP) - Canada's national public broadcaster CBC/Radio-Canada called Friday on Chinese authorities to restore access to its websites, saying that "all eyes are on China" four months before the summer Olympics. CBC/Radio-Canada president and chief executive Hubert Lacroix said in a letter to the Chinese ambassador to Canada, Li Shumin, that China had been blocking access in China to the broadcaster's English-language website www.cbc.ca since the beginning of 2008, and its French website www.radio-canada.ca for at least six months. "2008 is an important year for the image and reputation of China as a leading member of the international community. All eyes are on China as it prepares to host the world for the summer Olympics," Lacroix said in the letter, published on the two websites. "I am writing to request that you make formal and immediate enquiries as to why the sites have been blocked, and that you take steps to ensure that this policy is reversed." Lacroix noted that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao had promised freedom for the foreign press in covering China, and that recently the BBC's website had been unblocked. He pointed out the history of good Chinese-Canadian relations, saying "Blocking access to our websites is inconsistent with that history, and with China's growing place on the world stage."
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