FM questions US freedom of speech as it probes articles in Global Times

The US should look at itself in the mirror when talking about freedom of speech instead of viewing others with a magnifying glass all day long, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Tuesday, responding to a question about Franz Gayl, a US Pentagon staff member, who is being investigated for publishing articles in the Global Times.

Franz Gayl, a 64- year- old retired US Marine major who works at the Pentagon, is under a counterintelligence investigation by the Marine Corps for two articles published in the Global Times that criticized the US’ Taiwan policy.

In his first article, published on April 27, Gayl argued that the US would lose a war with China over the island of Taiwan. He further clarified his stance in another article a month later, in which he made it clear that “Attempting to support the renegade island of Taiwan’s secession is directly contrary to the US national interests.”

“I think many people wonder: Doesn’t the US always boast of its so- called freedom of speech, order, fairness and justice? He is being investigated for publishing two articles that are inconsistent with the US government’s stance. Can’t the US tolerate two articles that clearly said they only represented the author’s personal views?” asked Zhao.

“The US should look at itself in the mirror when talking about freedom of speech instead of viewing others with a magnifying glass all day long,” Zhao emphasized.

“No regrets,” Gayl told the Global Times via email on Saturday after the news that he is being investigated was revealed by US media. He said that he hoped “it all leads to some good on the China issue,” as his views have begun to appear in the US media in such a way.

Before submitting his articles to the Global Times, he also sent them to US and European media outlets, which either rejected or did not give a response. The investigation of Gayl demonstrates the hypocrisy of the US on freedom of speech, analysts noted.