Fugitive whistleblower puts China on the spot

``It's ironic that Snowden appears to feel safer on the doorstep of a one-party regime than in a constitutional democracy like the one he has just left. He told the Guardian he chose Hong Kong because of its "spirited commitment to free speech and the right of political dissent." However, the special administrative region of China also has a well-oiled extradition treaty with the United States. If Snowden remains in Hong Kong -- his exact whereabouts were unknown on Monday -- he will have to argue successfully that he's a political refugee, or hope that Beijing intervenes on his behalf.''