▁relations . ▁One ▁expert ▁suggested ▁that , ▁by ▁doing ▁so , ▁China ▁had ▁" return ed ▁the ▁favor " ▁for ▁their ▁not ▁having ▁accepted ▁the ▁as yl um ▁ple a ▁from ▁Wang ▁L ij un ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁The ▁official ▁Chinese ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁mouth pie ce , ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Daily ▁denied ▁the ▁US ▁government ▁accus ation ▁that ▁the ▁P RC ▁central ▁government ▁had ▁allowed ▁Snow den ▁to ▁escape , ▁and ▁said ▁that ▁Snow den ▁helped ▁in ▁" te aring ▁off ▁Washington ' s ▁san ct imon ious ▁mask ." ▁ ▁Malays ia ▁On ▁November ▁ 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁Malays ian ▁Foreign ▁Minister ▁An if ah ▁A man ▁sum mon ed ▁the ▁amb ass adors ▁of ▁Australia ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁protest ▁an ▁alleg ed ▁American - led ▁sp ying ▁network ▁in ▁Asia . ▁ ▁Europe ▁ ▁European ▁Union ▁ ▁Early ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁European ▁Commission er ▁for ▁Home ▁Affairs , ▁Cec ilia ▁Mal m ström , ▁wrote ▁to ▁two ▁U . S . ▁officials ▁that ▁" mut ual ▁trust ▁and ▁confidence ▁have ▁been ▁seriously ▁er oded ▁and ▁I ▁expect ▁the ▁U . S . ▁to ▁do ▁all ▁that ▁it ▁can ▁to ▁restore ▁them ". ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁a ▁committee ▁at ▁the ▁European ▁Parliament ▁back ed ▁a ▁measure ▁that , ▁if ▁en act ed , ▁would ▁require ▁American ▁companies ▁to ▁seek ▁clear ance