‘Common sense’ for US to fear detentions: Editor
It’s “common sense” for the US to worry that China might detain some Americans in retaliation for the prosecution of Chinese scholars, according to Hu Xijin, the editor-inchief of the Communist Party-backed Global Times.
Mr Hu was responding to a Wall Street Journal report, citing people familiar, that said officials in Beijing had warned the US that Americans in China could be detained as a result of the Justice Department’s actions against scholars affiliated with the Chinese military.
In a series of tweets on Sunday evening, Mr Hu accused the US of applying double standards when it came to arresting suspected spies. America saw its actions as “catching spies in accordance with the law”, while similar actions by Beijing were dismissed as “hostage diplomacy”, Mr Hu said.
“Who gave the US God-like right to define everything?” Mr Hu wrote, before going on to say that “some US nationals” in China could be in peril. “Does Washington need to be warned? It’s common sense.”
China’s Foreign Ministry said yesterday that foreigners in the country had “nothing to worry about” as long as they abided by Chinese law. He called the US’ treatment of Chinese students “political persecution”.
China first warned the US after a Chinese researcher temporarily took refuge in the Chinese consulate in San Francisco, according to the Journal. Beijing said it would detain an American in China if the US didn’t permit researcher
Juan Tang to leave the consulate and go back to China, the newspaper reported. She was arrested after she left the consulate, and is currently out on bail.
Mr Hu’s tweets are closely watched after he accurately forecasted previous moves by Beijing, even though his statements at times don’t reflect official policy.
A spokesman for the US embassy in Beijing said yeterday morning that he had no comment on the suggestion that Americans in China could be subject to arbitrary detention.
China detained two Canadians after Canada cooperated with US efforts to extradite Huawei Technologies Co executive Meng Wanzhou. They have since been prosecuted on spying allegations.