But the government has so far allowed the war of words between the United States and Iran to continue, perhaps because it deflects attention away from issues in China, analysts said. Others have praised Weibo for allowing the discussion to be published, reacting to the news that Facebook had been censoring some posts. The American Embassy, which has more than 2.6 million followers on Weibo, said it welcomed the debate. “We expect critical discussion and debate, which might include both support and criticism of U.S. policy,” the embassy said in a statement, describing its approach to social media in China. China and Iran have sought closer relations in recent years, especially as American sanctions have increased economic pressure on Tehran.

Source: New York Times January 16, 2020 07:41 UTC