Former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden has accused the U.S. of hacking into Chinese mobile phone companies and Tsinghua (ching-wah) University.

Snowden made the accusations in an interview with the South China Morning Post newspaper in Hong Kong.

The revelations come a day after the U.S. filed charges against Snowden and requested his extradition.

Whether or not that happens is up to Hong Kong. And while Beijing could get involved in the matter experts say that's unlikely.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) PROFESSOR OF SOCIAL SCIENCE, HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, DAVID ZWEIG, SAYING:

"Right, for a long time China could keep its nose out of this and wanted to keep its nose out of this saying that this was an American affair. An internal affair of America. And now it's a China affair and they will be under some pressure to respond. But overall I think they would still prefer to let this go through the courts of Hong Kong. That's the