A video released Sunday purportedly showed a Chinese man taken hostage by a Taliban splinter group in Pakistan asking for the Chinese government to honor the captors' unspecific demands for ransom. The man much resembled a Chinese tourist named Hong Xudong, who was kidnapped in May 2014 in the restive Dera Ismail Khan district of Daraban, soon after he entered Pakistan from neighboring India in April. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the abduction at the time.

The video released to The Associated Press hasn't been independently verified. It came after two Japanese hostages were taken by the Islamic State earlier this year and were later decapitated on video, despite massive international attention and rescue efforts. Likewise the latest abduction would also put the Chinese government under huge pressure.

Undoubtedly the Chinese government will do everything in its power to help its citizens undergoing misfortune abroad. China's determination and capacity in this respect can be seen in its unprecedented move of evacuating more than 600 citizens stuck in dangerous Yemen via navy ships in April and later that month bringing home Chinese tourists who were stranded in Nepal after an 8.1-magnitude earthquake.

However, hostage rescue is a more complex mission that requires sophisticated planning and implementation. Paying ransoms is definitely not a sensible step since it will likely encourage similar actions. Diplomatic efforts and rescue by force entail cautious moves and are filled with uncertainties, and lots of work is conducted covertly through various channels. This is not necessarily suitable to be presented to the public.

The latest kidnapping of a Chinese citizen has naturally drawn wide domestic attention and many commenters requested the authorities to immediately do something to bring back the man. Some even questioned whether the China-Pakistan relationship is as well as stated. These comments are somewhat unwise and emotional.

In fact, the unfortunate experiences of Japanese hostages and the US military's failed rescue mission of its citizen last year indicate that the public's wider involvement in discussing hostage cases may not facilitate rescue efforts.

On the contrary, when the case is put in the spotlight, some efforts may be presented for appealing to the public instead of rescuing the hostage. The public should be aware of these consequences.