Beijing reacts to allegations the NSA is hacking China
Edward Snowden’s allegations that the NSA has targeted networks in China and Hong Kong were all over China’s state-run media this morning. CCTV’s morning news program led with the claims Snowden made in an interview with the South China Morning Post.
For months, the U.S. government has criticized China for hacking its networks. All along, Chinese officials have reacted by saying the U.S. is hacking China, too.
Bill Bishop compiles Sinocism, a daily blog devoted to Chinese news. He says for Beijing and its media, it’s Christmas in June — and Snowden is Santa Claus.
“The Chinese are saying hey, look, we told you, and it’s not us saying it, it’s one of your own guys!” says Bishop.
Bishop says the Chinese particularly love the fact that Snowden came to Hong Kong, technically Chinese territory.
Tongji University cultural critic Zhu Dake agrees. He says the Chinese government doesn’t want to hype the story too much because spying on people is exactly what it has been doing for years.
Zhu says Snowden’s dilemma is that he may be forced to seek political asylum in mainland China, one of the only places where the U.S. government can’t intervene.
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