Chinese react to US surveillance program

The leak of the US global surveillance program is drawing reactions not only from the American public but the international community as well.

Cyber security, privacy and international relations are all under debate. The US international surveillance program, leaked by a National Security Agency whistleblower, is drawing mixed reactions from Chinese.

On China's social media site Weibo comments range from critical to introspective. One net user says, "The whole event is proof that the US government is lying to the world. What it stands for is not real but just hypothetical."

But other net users said the problem isn't unique to the US.

China's Foreign Ministry released its official stance on cyber security.

"We believe it is the responsibility of the international community to hold constructive talks in a mutual beneficial and mutual trust way. And both China and the US have agreed to form a special working group and discuss the related issue in the framework of Sino-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue," said Hua Chunying, Spokeswoman of Chinese Foreign Ministry.

While the Ministry addresses the issue of cyber security, response in the country to the US surveillance program seems to be less harsh than in other nations.

International studies professor Teng Jimeng says one reason is because this is an American problem.

"To me I don't think it will affect significantly Sino-US relations. I think the issue is basically an American one. Snowden's revelation is in fact a revelation of the problem of the United States society, a society at war with terror," said Teng Jimeng, Associate Professor of Beijing Foreign Studies University.

The US global surveillance program has drawn mixed reactions from Chinese. But people here all have one thing in common. They are taking a closer look at the balance between cyber security and privacy in today's wired world.