China has denounced US criticisms of its internet controls, saying it could harm ties between the two countries.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on Thursday for China to lift restrictions on the internet, the BBC reported.

Clinton also urged Beijing to investigate Google's complaints that cyber-attacks had originated in China.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said the US should "respect the facts" and stop making "groundless accusations against China".

The US has criticised China's policies to administer the internet, and insinuated that China restricts internet freedom," he said in a statement posted on the foreign ministry website.

"This runs contrary to the facts and is harmful to China-US relations."

An article in the Communist Party's Global Times English language news website called Clinton's criticisms "information imperialism".

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