China media: Edward Snowden

Protesters have been demanding protection for Edward Snowden

Media in mainland China and Hong Kong continue to demand answers and an apology from Washington on whistleblower Edward Snowden's revelations of US cyber-espionage.

Communist Party newspaper People's Daily repeats calls for the US government to end the "hypocrisy of a thief shouting 'stop thief!'" and account for Edward Snowden's allegations on US intelligence agencies infiltrating Chinese computer networks.

It also defends the Hong Kong government's decision not to extradite Mr Snowden and to let him fly to Moscow as "consistent with the law and entirely defensible".

The official Xinhua News Agency on Sunday said Mr Snowden's allegations on US spies hacking into Chinese networks had "put Washington in a really awkward situation".

"Washington should come clean about its record first. It has to share with the world the range, extent and intent of its clandestine hacking programmes," the agency said.

Beijing's Global Times says China should make use of Mr Snowden's revelations to counter-attack similar US allegations in recent months on Chinese state-sponsored cyber-espionage.

"China needs to confidently build its own cyber-security forces and fully enhance national network security capabilities. Our knowledge and our resources invested in this regard are both lacking, but our hands have been tied by the Western media to some extent," the editorial says.

'Imprint of shame'

The Beijing News says Mr Snowden is unlikely to "escape the fate of becoming a sacrificial victim" in a diplomatic stand-off, but adds that the US government's "cyber-freedom" values will be "marked with an indelible imprint of shame".

In an interview with the state-run English-language China Daily, Jia Xiudong, a researcher at China Institute of International Studies, a foreign ministry-affiliated think-tank, says the scale and scope of US monitoring of China's Internet information is "shocking" and "beyond expectation".

"Obviously US Internet attacks against China are not for anti-terrorism efforts, as Washington has argued, but for other reasons that might include commercial and strategic motives. The US owes an explanation to China, and the world," Mr Jia says.

Over in Hong Kong, Ming Pao says the city has "dismantled a political bomb" by letting Mr Snowden leave the city. It calls on the Hong Kong government to keep pressing the US government for an explanation on alleged cyber-espionage

Ta Kung Pao, a Beijing-backed Hong Kong daily, accuses the US government of "barbarity and arrogance" in "pressuring" the Hong Kong government to give up Mr Snowden prior to his departure.

"Recently the US government has been so abhorrent. The Special Administrative Region government should also 'give it a taste of its own medicine' and warn the US government that if it does not effectively explain the invasion of Hong Kong networks, Hong Kong-US relations will be affected!" it concludes.

The Wen Wei Po, another Hong Kong newspaper with close links to Beijing, says the Hong Kong government "won points" internationally for the city's protection of human rights and the rule of law. It also calls on Washington to account for and apologise for "invading" mainland and Hong Kong computer networkers.

The Hong Kong Economic Journal praises the Hong Kong government's handling of the event. It also says the US government must give an explanation on Mr Snowden's "alarming" revelations on US intelligence agencies infiltrating the city's computer networks.

The Sing Tao Daily foresees "no major impact" on Hong Kong's relationship with the US and says the Hong Kong government has overcome the crisis by upholding neutrality and the rule of law in handling the case.

The Hong Kong Economic Times says Mr Snowden's exit and the avoidance of an extradition battle with the US is an "ideal outcome" and a "relief" for Beijing and Hong Kong, but says cyber-security loopholes must be plugged.

The South China Morning Post says there "could be no better outcome" for Hong Kong and China.

"Whatever we think of Snowden or his tactics, he has served us well by sparking the much-needed debate on government access to personal data. His departure from our city closes the Hong Kong chapter of his story; our government did as it should and Beijing was wise to keep a distance. The best interests of the nation and Hong Kong have been served," it comments.

A joint editorial in Oriental Daily News and its sister newspaper The Sun, however, says the Hong Kong government will face "trouble" from the US for letting Mr Snowden escape arrest and extradition..

"As a major country, China is scared of its own shadow and it will inevitably incur ridicule by not even daring to shelter a US "rebel spy" sent to its doorstep," the editorial adds.