Snowden might be a lot of different things to different people, but he knows how to play his cards.
When he chose Hong Kong as his place to cool his heels, a lot of people were scratching their head, knowing full well that Hong Kong has an extradition treaty with the US.
But his words, from the beginning, betrayed a knowledge gained in the dark: what only a prolific internet social networking expert can surmise from contacts with people in other nations.
In this case, Snowden must have known from chat rooms and other social sites, that Hong Kong has never lost its desire to harken back to English rule, when democracy was a de facto situation. Although China tolerates Hong Kong's posture of being somewhat different and somewhat untethered from the mainland, and China basks in the goodwill its apparent laissez faire attitude has engendered for her, the truth is, now is a time when that goodwill might be sorely tested, since China has no intention of letting Hong Kong feel that they could disobey Chinese law.
When Snowden spoke of the 'vibrant democracy and free spech sentiment' of the Hong Kong denizens, he must have known something stronger was brewing in the background.
His plea, not to be extradited, has now wrought action from what probably would have remained a somewhat content population.
Signs are everywhere in Hong Kong, demanding that Snowden not be extradited, demonizing the US and bearing Obama's likeness in some demonic form.
As much as China must love this newly surfaced antiamerican sentiment, it must also be extremely worried about the fact that the demonstrations are trying to promote the very principles of democracy and free speech that the US stands for and which China has denied them for decades in the name of communist rule.
It is interesting to note that some of the protesters bear signs saying "respect Hong Kong law", although the city has an extradition pact with the US since it is part of China, whether or not the local law might have different statutes or codicils.
The protesters however, have seized on Snowden's words about the US hacking and snooping on Hong Kong networks and institutions. Something that is ridiculous on its face, since the mutual hacking/spying has been going on for decades, and it's not about to go away.
The interesting development in all this however, is the fact that the Hong Kong MP Leung Kwok-hung has called both Obama and Chinese premier Xi Jinping, 'twin brothers', in the internet hacking incidents. That alone signifies a push from the locals to be separate and establish even more autonomous rule vis a vis the Chinese mainland, something that China will have to deal with soon.
Source : The Guardian UK/ 6.15.13
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