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Huanqiu Suggests Chinese Media Publicize the Secrets Snowden Has in His Hand

On June 18, 2013, Huanqiu (the Chinese edition of Global Times) published an editorial responding to U.S. former vice president Dick Cheney’s hint that Edward Snowden, the whistleblower behind the NSA surveillance revelations, is a possible Chinese spy. According to the article, the Chinese government should not hand Snowden over to the United States because it fears trouble. The U.S. does not have any evidence to prove that Snowden is a Chinaese spy. If the Hong Kong government does not extradite Snowden, it will not lose any points on the moral level. Except for the extradition treaty with Hong Kong, the opinions that the U.S. releases cannot hurt China. The editorial suggested that Chinese reporters contact Snowden more and publicize the information in his hands around the world so as to put Snowden himself at the center of public opinion and lead public attention away from the American politicians’ accusations. The U.S. government will thus be discouraged in demanding Snowden’s extradition in the face of surging discussions of the secrets he released.

It is very practical for the U.S. government to drag the Chinese government into Snowden’s case so as to turn the public’s anger toward the U.S. government into dissatisfaction with the Chinese government. China will feel pressured but does not need to be too nervous. So far, the United States has not openly pressured the Chinese government publicly on the case, which, according to the editorial, is good enough for the Chinese government.

Source: Huanqiu, June 18, 2013
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/editorial/2013-06/4035403.html