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Subscribe to RSSFriends of Chen Guangcheng say they drove him 300 miles from his village to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. NBC's Ian Williams reports.
Updated at 11:15 a.m. ET: Blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng is under U.S. protection after a bold escape from 19 months under house arrest, sources told NBC News on Monday, a revelation that looked sure to complicate Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's looming trip to Beijing.
"My sources tell me that Chen is, indeed, under U.S. protection in Beijing. Now we don't know whether that means he's actually within the walls of the American Embassy compound, or in a diplomatic safe house, but he's definitely in U.S. hands there," NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell said on TODAY Monday.
The United States has not given any public confirmation of reports that Chen, who reportedly slipped away from under the noses of guards and surveillance equipment around his village home in Shandong province on April 22, fled to the U.S. Embassy.
Rights group: China, US in talks over blind activist Chen Guangcheng
Chen, a self-schooled legal advocate who campaigned against abortions forced under China's "one child" policy, was held under extra-legal detention in his village home in Linyi from September 2010, when he was released from jail for charges he said were spurious.
Reuters
Chen's wife, Yuan Weijing, and child did not escape with him, and human rights activists have voiced worry that they and Chen's other relatives might have suffered abuse at the hands of police and officials angry about his escape.
The questions surrounding the activist are casting a pall over the upcoming high-level meeting in Beijing, which would have been challenging for Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner even without a human rights dispute.
Read more China coverage on our Behind The Wall blog
"There are very delicate negotiations under way ... in advance of Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's annual talks this week," Mitchell said.
The May 3-4 Strategic & Economic Dialogue is the last of such annual consultations before political seasons heat up in the United States and China, giving leaders in both countries less flexibility over contentious economic and security issues.
The United States goes into full campaign mode for the November presidential election, while China's ruling Communist Party enters a leadership transition in the fall that has been complicated by a scandal that toppled senior leader Bo Xilai.
Corruption may be widespread in China, but one official crossed a line when he wiretapped President Hu Jin Tau. Now that official's wife is a murder suspect. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
Bob Fu, whose religious and political rights advocacy group ChinaAid who has been the chief source of information about Chen, said he had confirmed "intensive talks" between the United States and China began right after the activist took shelter in the embassy.
"I was told the Chinese top leaders have been deliberating a decision to be made very soon," Fu said on Sunday by telephone from Texas. A "Chinese official response (is) expected in the next day or so," he added.
Who is Fu? Chinese exile is 'God's double agent'
The European Union, meanwhile, urged China show "utmost restraint" over Chen.
"We call on the Chinese authorities to exercise utmost restraint in dealing with the matter, including avoiding harassment of his family members or any person associated with him," the Delegation of the European Union to China said in a statement. "Human rights defenders should be treated in full compliance with Chinese laws and constitution."
China has declined direct public comment on Chen's reported escape.
NBC News, msnbc.com staff and Reuters contributed to this report.
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- Blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng escapes from house arrest
Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world
Leave a Comment:
Hillary can handle a dozen Chinese diplomats, I actually feel sorry for them........And this guy did what that we would risk our fabulous relationship with China?
Fabulous, you are kidding right. RED China is not a Friend to America. Any that thinks that they are is ill informed
They're not friends, they're business partners. They're the main financiers of our ballooning national debt.
So, they're going to treat a Chinese activist as a political prisoner, meanwhile, thanks to the new "trespass bill", our own activists get treated as criminals?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeanine-molloff/trespass-bill_b_1328205.html
Great way to increase your hypocrasy Obama! And in an election year no less...
Watch out Wal-Mart! China might cut off the supply in retaliation!
...are you serious...Clinton is a joke and the laughing stock of the world...she couldn't negotiate her way out of a wet paper bag with a hole in it
OH --GREAT! --A Blind Activist -- Bet He Saw A Lot!
What Next a One Armed Pakistani Paper Hanger?
Or Better An Afghanistani Barber!
Send the 20 Mil. Illegals Home to start their Own Spring Revolutions!
@maint, congrats for the R-tard award for the day!!!. Most of the blind here on this site read just black and white and cannot apply any thought........you are a case in point. Still dont get it do you?? It's called sarcasim :0
Somebody standing up for human rights? That alone demands my respect. :D) Good luck and good journey, sir.
I respect his courage for standing up against the Chinese government, but to run away and hide, leaving his family behind? That's being a coward. He was under house arrest. Not in prison. Granted, it's no picnic, but how bad could it be compared to the hardship he just put on his family and the U.S. by coming to us? I wish his wife and child the best of luck and hope the Chinese government doesn't come down too hard on them and I hope Clinton and smooth the situation a little. I had respect for Chen before this.
There is no reason for the US to get involved in this matter, its between China and one of its citizens, and should not be a concern to the US. China is the only nation doing something positive about the population problem in their country, we need to stay out of it. its not our country and we don't have the right to intervene.
You call forced sterilization and abortion a positive solution? Wow, didn't see that coming. I'm all for population control through education, making birth control easily available, I'm Pro Choice but what the Chinese are doing is beyond the pale. People have heartbreaking stories to tell about Chinese human rights violations and it should be a concern to us.
It's a sad story indeed and I also wish his family well but keep in mind, his family helped his escape, he couldn't have done this by himself. I imagine they did it knowing full well what the repercussions would be.
Comments like these make me ashamed to be an American... Standing up for human rights is a good thing. Caring about others is a good thing.
Chen Guangcheng was trying to stop forced sterilizations and forced abortions, and he has been beaten and imprisoned for his efforts.
I doubt very seriously his son had much say in aiding his father's escape, but he has been left behind to be dealt the punishment for it. I agree with other posts, Chen shouldn't have left his family behind. He is fighting for the rights of women all over China, but he didn't protect his own child.
Also for those of you that say we should get involved in this because he is fighting for human rights and it is out business. So I suppose you are perfectly okay with any country that is opposed to abortion under human rights to get actively involved in our country's laws to have our laws changed to suit what another country says is right or wrong, countries like the UK that have such strict gun control laws and don't agree with our laws that state every citizen had the right to arm himself so they should have the right to get involved and force us to change our laws to accommodate their beliefs? Think about what you are posting when you say the US had the RIGHT to step into another country's legal system.
The fact is China has a huge population control issue, but that same HUGE population could get together and stand up for themselves to force their government to make some changes. It isn't up to the US to solve the world's problems. We have a great many of our own that need immediate attention before we implode on ourselves.
Why?
Are the Chinese just "difficult"? That's no surprise.
More likely what happened here is that by secret agreement, China let the US handle the activist and therefore rid them of a potentially influential dissident. Of course they will issue a statement disagreeing or condemning the seeming unilateral action, but in the end, everybody got what they wanted and China saved face.
Dissidents who have left China in the past via various means have effectively been neutered in their continued influence from a distance.
...@ flylowguy...you nailed that on the head...he escaped house arrest because the Chinese let him
flylowguy That sounds about right. It will be interesting to see how the Chinese respond to this development.
I'm not sure as to why he would hide out in the US Embassy because we are owned by the Chinese. All the Chinese need to do is to call in one of its debts and we will be forced to hand him over. He would have done much better going to the Swiss Embassy.
David, excellent points. I do not think it was wise for the US to get involved.
You DO realize that's not how debt works, right? China can't tell us "pay up or give him up".
It just might come to pass that the Chinese are paid those debts in massively inflated dollars. If they don't like that, they can settle for nothing. As to them 'calling in ONE of their debts'? Which one" You mean the 'you have to release our guy or else' debt?
Hahaha.
I am very familiar with how debt works. Depending on the debt China may or may not be able to call in current debt but it most certainly can determine as to whether it wants to purchase future debt. These bonds do expire and they will need to be replaced. What China can easily do is to simply refuse to purchase any future debt. Where would we be if they refused to do this?
And where would China be if they didn't bye our debt? You do realize that if they do not bye our debt, then we can not purchase their goods and all their jobs go away. Then people starve and Boom! Arab spring in China. They have way too many people. They need us as much or more than we need them.
Proud that is only the case if you believe that we are the only game in town. The thing is that we no longer are. India, Brazil, and a host of other countries will be able to fill in where we left off. China is in somewhat of a bind now because if they stop lending to us we will stop buying from them. While it might work for now that is not going to be the case forever. The deeper in debt that we become the less amount that we will have as an country to invest elsewhere.
Well, both of you are right, kind of (I'm glad you're more familiar with finance than you at first seemed, David). We're not the only game in town, but neither is China. We'll suffer somewhat if they don't buy our bonds, but their investment funds might not like being barred from US debt, either. Money and politics have a sticky relationship.
In any case, I doubt this is going to do significant damage to either our trade or financial relationships. I don't see us imposing sanctions, and China is doing awfully well to risk rocking the boat to throw a tantrum over Chen.
HERE'S Another Fine Mess Obama Got US Into!
LET THEM Fight Their Own Battles!
WE Have Enough AT HOME!
PS -- Another Crisis to Exploit away from JOBS!
You see it as a mess? It's just bizness, dealing with a nasty police state with a huge population and complicated business interests with us.
I think you give the President too much credit. Obama didn't make the decision to take him in and he doesn't have the power (alone) to send him back. I hate when people attack the president (whoever it is at the time) for every little thing. You need to learn what he has power over, what he has to ask permission for and what is completely out of his control before you blindly attack.
Learn, then talk. Not the other way around.
Why is the US wasting US citizen tax payers money on a Chinese citizens rights for politics? We have enough debt without bringing him over here to live off the tax payer. This is the way to cut the budget, cut the forgein aide; we don't need to be into forgein affairs, it's costing the tax payer too much.
Well, it might please you to know that the guy was offered an asylum to the U.S. and he proudly turned it down, insisting he wants to be in China and suggesting his cause is to bring to the attention of the Communist Party extortions and human rights abuses by local governments. In fact, he used the phrase, "our party" referring to the Communist Party! Now, that's for those who think he's campaigning for some kind of American-style democracy!
There's nothing in this article that says or even implies that we're spending any significant money on this guy. Foreign aid is a tiny portion of the budget, and the return in terms of trade agreements and stability is well worth the cost more often than not. Your complaints are groundless.
Seven2Seven,
I'm still laughing, Hillary couldn't even handle Bill.
BTY, why are we protecting this guy?
Time for Obama's No fly zone over Beijing and lead from behind. Then turn it into another campaign movie of what a great leader the 4th greatest president of all time is (in his own mind) and the winner of the Nobody Peace Prize.
You're upset because Obama's policies have worked in the past? He could say the sky is blue, and you would howl with rage.
Can you site any policies that have worked except adding $5 trillion to our national debt in 3 years - more than all other presidents in US history combined?
I bet if Obama had a son he would look like this blind Chinese guy!
Only if he wore a Mickey Mouse Ears hat would he look like Obama.
The US is protecting him, I bet he didn't see that coming.
I'm guessing he doesn't see much coming!
Why can't we just mind our own business. We get involved with everything around the world. We have our own problems.
To Alocka12. I will attempt to answer your 'wise' question, si?
Because we're the 800 lb. gorilla and no one (and I mean 'no one!!') can even elect their own politicians (Haiti, Honduras, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen, Egypt, et. al.) unless KING KONG AmeriKKKa aproves it, or they are elected from AmeriKKKa's 'pre-approved' politicians list! Gosh, no wonder everyone hates us, yes?
Given that China can't elect it's own politicians period (on account of their politburo appointing their leaders), your rant is badly misinformed, AZ.
why the news media made his story such a big deal? And why such story happened before the big meetings? Is he being used without even knowing/seeing for political purpose?
No, he's using us.
By timing this incident, he's making sure it can't be ignored and that his disruption causes maximum discomfort for all parties that would otherwise just smile vapidly and move their agendas along.
Think about it. High-level administration officials are having a delicate meeting with Chinese officials. China is undergoing a transition of power to a new generation of leaders. America is in election season. China doesn't want to look weak, and Obama knows that everything that happens is going to be laid directly at his feet. He couldn't have timed it better.
Exactly. Also, if it's true that he actually did escape against the government's wishes, how could he be such a coward and leave his family behind? Surely he knows his wife and child will face retribution.
Sasha, his cause might just be more important to him than his family. It might seem inconceivable, and I'm sure he's worried about them, but standing up for democracy in a totalitarian country makes sacrifice necessary.
SF accountant -- Man you got all the answers , they should put you as an adviser for Sarah Palin , Both of you will do real good , His cause is more important than his family , What the hell he is going to do now that we let him in , is he going to use to take over china.
I can't answer that question because it was an incomplete sentence. Use what to take over China?
Why can't we bury our heads in the sand oblivious to everything outside of our borders? We have our own problems.
Yes, as the most powerful country in the world we should certainly bury our head in the sand, you understand exactly! And all of the yumyums on this list will agree with you for typically dopey reasons.
So what? Because we have problems we should ignore everything around us? What a worthless excuse.
will we ever mind our own business
Nope. Why should we?
SF
Eh.....911
9/11?
Oh, I see. So because some perfectly terrible people got mad and attacked a bunch of innocent people, we should be too scared to do anything on the international stage, right or wrong, for fear of retribution.
Sorry about that. I forgot that the terrorists won.
Our interference in other nations affairs are ALWAYS wrong and in many ways the terrorists have won.
whooppee! America to the rescue of a chinese dissident!!! i mean, what can you expect but the best of concerns for the worlds downtrodden, yes? Well, the answer is nope! in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Kuwait the US is still shipping weaponized (made in Amerikkka!) CSI tear gas to help the despot king(s) there (our heros!) attack, abuse and murder their people - yup, there's a few blind dissisents there too. in afghanistan U.S. predator 'genocide machines' now have the right to murder 'anything that moves' and who cares if its just litle 12-year old Mohammed and 9-year old Sophia going to see grandmother on sabbath Friday, huh?! ( I suppose there's a few little blind mice there too). in Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Lebanon and expecially Gaza U.S. white phosphorus munitions are 'producing' a few blind children as the monsterous Jews hit UNRWA sponsored schools filled with kids - some 16 of them renedered blind (89 murdered and 27 maimed on the last jewish attack (12/2008) there.... and guess what? not a 'peep' from the Great Satan, interesting, these different prioroities and all the people are the same - Well, except for the Muslims that Amerikkkka doesn't look at as 'normal' people becauase of WTC, i guess. ohhhhh well......
my chest is (((puffed up))) as i write this not because i think we're the best (of the worst) on this planet - what say you 'Kong Kong' Amerikkka?
I say that for all your complaining and ranting, you don't actually discuss the Chinese dissident much. Obviously, since you condemn all of those nasty things you purport America to have done, you at least support us protecting an activist for democracy from political persecution, right?
@AZCowBoy -
You should be grateful you are allowed to rant against your own government without imprisionment.
He isn't just ranting, msen...he is repeating every wild charge that the Palestinians make against those monstrous Jews.
Do not worry Obama will throw his ass under the Bus
Chen is actually fighting for the values that America was first built upon. China's the enemy, not him.
Funny how the Obamahaters never miss an opportunity to bash the president. Let's face it, no matter what he does you'll never be happy, because you're just a negative person. The unemployment rate and national deficit could drop to zero tomorrow and you would still find something negative Obama has done and complain about it. But then again, if the best my party could offer is Mitt, then I guess I would feel disillusioned too...
The same could be said about a republican leader. It doesn't matter who is in office the people of the opposite party will complain.
After O'Bubba authorized the murder of 'anything moving' in Yemen, Somalia and AF/PAK with his Predator 'genocide machines' without regard of innocent civiians, I decided the mans a war criminal deserving to be sent to Taliban HQ (Kandajar) for further 'sensitivity' training using rubber hoses, water boarding and a pair of industrial sized vise grips on his gonads.
Michael - What you should feel is utter embarrassment and shame. You support the most destructive president in American history. The most in-experienced man we have ever placed in office. A man whose supporters include louis FarraCON, jesse jackson, rev wright and al sharpton. That alone tells you he is a worthless human. As for the blind chinaman - I'm sure we will house, feed and clothe him until he dies. Probably bring every family member and friends of the family over too for Prez welfare's handouts.
Neither the left nor the right have a monopoly on moronic, blind partisianship. People who hate Obama for every bad thing that happened while he was in office and even some of the good things are no different from those that condemned Bush for his every move. People who claim Obama is a socialist trying to destroy the fabric of America are no different from people who claim that Republicans are trying to wipe out the poor or set the country back half a century.
When you stop looking at politics and governance through the artificial lense of left, right, Democrat, Republican... then things become much clearer.
China is a corrupt country that controls it's people with an iron hand. China will eventually implode from within because you cannot rule thorugh intimidation and fear......you have to at least try to rule from a righteous view. The US certainly isn't perfect but as a people and how we are able to live, it's apples and oranges comaring the US and China. China's rulers are evil! Pure and simple.
It's a sick, sick world we live in and it is about to get a lot worse for America. The illusion that the vast majority live with is that America is the only hope for this world. This vast majority, though they can see, they are blinded by lies and deception of those that would want to control them. The greatest liar of them all is the one who kills, steals and destroys; yes, Satan. And it is all because the vast majority refuses to seek the truth of God's WORD.
Write this on your walls.... Because of our (America) iniquites (sins) we have been judge and America is about to reap what she has sown, death and destruction for the sins of abortion and sexual perversion. 9/11 was the first of 3 major terrorist attacks, the 2nd is soon to come. (Somewhere in S. Cal. and most likely in or near Philly and Boston, 1000 times that of 9/11) The 3rd major terrorist attack will be sponsored by China and Russia through a nuclear attack and America will be no more. God has never allowed a destruction of a people or nation before He first warns man of this coming destruction. Amos 3:7
Read the God's prophecies given to pastors... Hand of Help Ministry website (Through The Fire Without Burning). Also read Set The Trumpet to thy Mouth by Dr. David Wilkerson.
You ARE aware that if the Chinese or Russians launched a nuke at us we'd launch right back, right? It's called Mutually Assured Destruction...
And what makes you sure that the targets of the next big attack are Philly or Boston?
You may find that modern anti-psychotic drugs will help.
It would take an awful lot of nukes to destroy America. Pretty sure that much fallout would kill you "faithful" too. I guess God's aim isn't all that sharp, eh?
Nukes fired from subs of each coast and the gulf of Mexico will only take 8 to 10 minutes to reach their destination, thus it will be a complete surprise. The Russian land base nukes will most like arrive serval minutes later, striking Chicago and several major cities throughout the central states.
Oct. 17, '04 I read Michael Boldea latest message of a vision God had given him maybe 3 or 4 times through. I laid down on my floor and started crying out to God. In this pray I said that this man in Iran says he wants to wipe Israel off the map. I continues to say that he knows should he strike Israel like this America will strike them to do the same. Then I said, God he must strike America first and a thousand times worse than that of 9/11 to force America to back down from supporting Israel.
Oct. 21, '04 as I was walking into a restaurant a man standing at the counter waiting to place his order turns and seeing me, he starts to move to his left, creaming and point at me he says, I think you have something to tell me. I told him what I am most certain as to what is coming for America and then He tells me he saw a vision of the three areas (That I mentioned above) hit by something. I told him I believed they most likely will use chemical, biological, dirty nukes, suitcase nukes or a combination of the four. As I said above God first warns man before He will allow the destruction of a people or nation. Our only hope in this world is Christ Jesus.
Oh, okay.
So is Jesus running as a Dem, Rep, or indie?
I hope he's not a Green. I won't vote for a Green, even if he's the son of God!
And you can bet that we also have nuclear subs patrolling the waters around Russia and China.
Our subs are always on patroll and ready, but that doesn't mean they will retailiate.... I would hope they would, but that will not make much difference once America is gone.... I believe the world will enter the 7 year tribulation period at the moment of the 3rd strike...
Many have reduce the the righteousness and Holiness of God to the likeness of corruptable man. But to the wicked person, God says: “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. You sit and testify against your brother( and slander your own mother’s son. Psalm 50:16-20
One revelation from God is worth far more than the knowledge gained from all the books in the world written by men who have no understanding or comprehension of the absolute truth of God's WORD. In His great Mercy, God seeks to warn man in order to keep him from His judgment. The only thing that will save man from God judgment is man's repentance, turning away from sin and accepting Christ has his LORD and Savior.
This administration is not afraid of china, unlike the last one!!!
Not entirely true. Fear is not the issue. The balance of power is, though.
We pretend to "fear" North Korea if it suits our purposes. In reality they could be swatted down like a gnat at any given time.
There's no value in 'fearing' China.
"This administration is not afraid of china, unlike the last one!!!" You are most certain right with that statement. This administration thinks they can compromiseeven with Satan. That and America's turning her back on God's desires for this nation has brought America under His Judgement. Americans has no fear of the One True God...
Matthew 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
This was all staged. I don't know how it was staged but it was. The script: Chinese blind man escaped supposedly cruel Chinese government and runs to U.S. embassy for protection. Even though the U.S. embassy is totally surrounded they bravely hold. The wicked evil Chinese government relents and allows safe passage of blind prisoner, while shamelessly apologizing. This makes the Chinese government look less commy and more western. So in the end it makes the chinese government look less fearful to the U.S. citizen and our government again doing the right thing. Now both sides look like humanitarians. The End
What total malarkey, a commy is a commy is a commy. I bet that is the outcome however. The press and government are pretty sure we are all easily duped.
That would be a nice story. I hope it does end that way. Even if it was a totally bogus set-up just to make the Chinese look good, it would still be preferable to what I EXPECT is going to happen.
And as a group, we might be.
China has an unelected power regime that operates more and more like the free market economy they want to become. Genuine Communism went zaijian two decades ago. It's been replaced with a very sharp and very sly bunch of power brokers. They are effective in their ruthlessness, and that's what have your knickers in a bunch.
The Communist Party exists more in name than in deed these days. They have given up on that 'ideal' since it's been proven to not work.
With China's human rights record, including abortion rights that kill far more girl babies than boys, we consider this nation a friend and business partner why?
Business partner, yes. Friend? Ha!
As for why, we long ago decided it's better not to antogonize them for their "cultural differences" which we usually call "authoritarian oppression and corruption" because it doesn't do much good, and there's too much to be gained from engagement. A dry political calculation, and nothing more (though it seems to be accurate).
jn, the charge is forced abortion...not abortion rights.
stick your GOD crap where the sun don't shine . get a life
How did he find his way to the embassy??
Why is the USA involved in this matter at all? This is clearly an internal Chinese affair. If China pulled a stunt like this in Washington, DC, the government would demand return and non-interference in internal matters.
Internal Chinese affairs may properly concern us. The Chinese gov't is a authoritarian, and brutal, and corrupt. They are also becoming very powerful in the world. When the Chinese govt behaves badly, internally or externally, we need to point that out to them. How can you expect them to behave well internationally, when they behave badly internally? hm?
Good for the U.S. we should stand up for human rights and dignity and defend the opressed.
How dare we stand up for human rights in China and then murder more then 4,000 babies a day through abortion.... Do you think America standing up for human rights will be honored by God while we murder the most innocent of all life?
Maybe. After all, China does that too, and sometimes without the mother's consent.
So, you know, we're still doing better than them.
Not that "America" is likely to be judged as a whole. Since when did God recognize nations as representatives of the will of their citizens?