'United Global Front' Defeats America in Snowden
Affair (Huanqiu, China)
Does the eventual securing of Edward Snowden in Russia demonstrate
the strength and wisdom of growing strategic ties between Moscow and Beijing? According
to this editorial from China's state-run Huanqiu,
the two countries, adhering to a kind of burden-sharing arrangement, worked to
further the interests of Moscow by boosting its diplomatic clout, exposed
America's moral hypocrisy on data security without significant harm to China's
interests, and won a victory on behalf of all parties except, of course, the U.S.
U.S.
President Barack Obama has announced he will participate at the G20 summit in
St. Petersburg this September, but has canceled his one-on-one meeting with
Russian President Vladimir Putin. A meeting between Russian and U.S. defense and foreign
ministers will also go ahead in Washington on Friday. Although Obama has canceled
his Moscow summit with Putin in
"retaliation" for the Snowden incident, this is relatively
insignificant. The U.S. is apparently prepared to swallow the fact that Russia
has granted National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden a year of asylum.
Russia has impressed the world, which regards the Kremlin as the "overwhelming
winner" and the White House the "absolute loser."
The
perception of Russia as winner is correct. In fact, the Snowden case constitutes
a victory for a global "united front" - every country involved save
the United States has won. Washington, after a show of bravado, in the end
failed to achieve Snowden's extradition. By contrast, Moscow demonstrated its
national character of decisiveness and boldness and successfully kept
Washington at bay.
Many
netizens ask, "Why couldn't China be like
Russia?"They believe we should have sheltered Snowden, but that China only
showed "hesitation and weakness."
We
believe that if China had "actively sheltered" Snowden, itwould have meant a major change in China's
diplomatic posture toward the United States. If we had done so, China would
have had to undertake a variety of risks. This is unlike the current situation
between Russia and the U.S. In China's case, the U.S. has far more opportunity
and means to retaliate, even if it wouldn't have been the end of the world.
So
China chose a more non-interventionist approach, and now that some of the smoke
has cleared, that seems to have been for the best. In regard to the Snowden
case, some of China's objectives have been achieved. The moral hypocrisy of America's
national policies have been exposed, Snowden has not been extradited to the United
States, and international opinion is outraged over America's duplicitous data security
policies. All without any major impact on Sino-U.S. relations.
Posted By Worldmeets.US
Meanwhile,
Moscow has demonstrated its diplomatic mettle toward Washington, boosting in
diplomatic status even though a chasm still separates in two in terms of actual
strength. Moscow was willing to take the lead in the Snowden case, and it has the
experience to do so. This fits Beijing's interests perfectly.
Everyone
knows that Sino-U.S. competition will determine the nature of global relations in
the 21st century. But China's strength still lags far behind that of the United
States. As China's comprehensive strategic partner, Russia carried the flag in
the Snowden case and stood at the forefront of the confrontation, demonstrating
the invaluable flexibility provided by multipolar geopolitics. Russia's performance
deserves respect from China and Hong Kong, from which Snowden flew to Russia
where he was ultimately given refuge. Everything smoothly fit into place and China
has consolidated its position.
China
is not in direct conflict with the United States, but it has the capacity to partner
with others to restrict the abuse of American power. In the Snowden case, we
did not have to directly confront the United States, which served the long-term
interests of China's diplomacy.
Washington
may have been forced to swallow its
pride this time, but that doesn't mean it fears Moscow. Russia took in Snowden
and the U.S. didn't get what it wanted, but if Obama had canceled his
participation at the G20 and the meeting between foreign and defense ministers,
what would that have achieved? Similarly, Washington is unlikely to fear
Beijing, and Beijing need not fear Washington. What Beijing should be most
concerned about is how to maximize its own national interests in its relations
with Washington.
In
Russia, Snowden will have more opportunity than in many countries to continue working in
cyberspace. Russia's largest social networking site has offered him work, Russia's
parliament has invited him to help develop data protection legislation, and a
range of enjoyable opportunities seem open to him. The curtain on these humiliating
events for the United States is far from falling.
