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Subscribe to RSSThe blind Chinese dissident also asked to live in the United States with his family, after the U.S. appeared to have brokered a deal that allowed him to stay in China. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
UPDATED: 5:36 p.m. ET -- Blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng spoke on the telephone during a Congressional Executive Commission on China hearing, asking for help to leave China with his family.
Chen told the commission he would be in a much worse situation had he not been taken into the U.S. embassy, adding that he wanted to thank Secretary of State Hillary Clinton face to face.
Speaking through a translator, Chen said he is concerned about the safety of his mother and brothers, adding he would want to find out how they were doing.
Frantic efforts to resolve the diplomatic wrangle surrounding Chen continued in Beijing Thursday after he appealed for asylum following what was described as a "change of heart" over an earlier deal.
U.S. officials said they are still trying to help the lawyer, who says he fears for his family's safety, and denied he was pressured to leave the American Embassy to resettle inside China in exchange for guarantees about his future treatment.
Chen said by telephone from hospital, where he was escorted by U.S. officials and was being treated for a broken foot, that he had changed his mind about the resettlement deal after talking with his wife, who spoke of recent threats made against his family.
In a string of interviews, he said he now wants to leave China as soon as possible. “My fervent hope is that it would be possible for me and my family to leave for the U.S. on Hillary Clinton’s plane,” he told the Daily Beast.
A senior State Department official told reporters on Thursday that officials were "trying to get full, frank and candid conversation with him," adding: "We are not there yet. If he is changing his view, we're starting from square one with the Chinese."
"When we feel that we have a clear view of what his final decision is, we will do what we can to help him achieve that," the official said.
A source familiar with the situation said Chen and his wife appeared to have had "a change of heart" about a deal, agreed on Tuesday, to remain in China after receiving guarantees about their safety.
U.S. Ambassador Gary Locke discusses the blind activist Chen Guangcheng's apparent 'change of heart' and how the U.S. is trying to help resolve the issue.
China censors 'Shawshank' as Clinton heads to Beijing amid dissident drama
"We don't know if there was intimidation or pressure from friends who think he made the wrong choice, or whether he got in the room with his wife and she was looking at a different situation," the source added.
The New York Times reported that the saga leaves Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's scheduled summit meeting in Beijing "under a cloud of confusion."
It reported that the Obama administration was "exposed to criticism from Republicans and human rights groups that it had rushed to resolve a delicate human rights case so that it would not overshadow other matters on the bilateral agenda," such as the Iranian and North Korean nuclear programs and China's currency and trade policies.
'I feel unsafe'
Chen, a self-taught legal activist, explained his change of mind: "I feel very unsafe. My rights and safety cannot be assured here," he said. His family, who were with him at the hospital, backed his decision to try to reach the United States, he added.
Blind activist: Chinese officials threatened my wife
The activist, citing descriptions from his wife, Yuan Weijing, said his family had been surrounded by Chinese officials who menaced them and filled the family home. Chen, from a village in rural Shandong province, has two children.
"When I was inside the American Embassy, I didn't have my family, and so I didn't understand some things. After I was able to meet them, my ideas changed."
Us Embassy Beijing Press Office / AFP - Getty Images
In handout photograph from the US Embassy Beijing Press office taken on Wednesday, Chen Guangcheng together with US ambassador to China Gary Locke as Chen's wife Yuan Weijing and children meet him in Beijing.
Gary Locke, the U.S. ambassador, told reporters he could say unequivocally that Chen was never pressured to leave the embassy.
Locke said Chen had two conversations with his wife before agreeing to the original deal on Tuesday. "We waited several minutes and suddenly he jumped up very eager and said 'let's go' in front of many witnesses," the ambassador said.
Clinton urged China to protect human rights but made no specific mention of Chen, whom she had spoken to on Wednesday after he left the embassy.
Blind dissident's case a 'hot potato' for US-China relations
"Of course, as part of our dialogue, the United States raises the importance of human rights and fundamental freedoms," Clinton said. "We believe all governments have to answer our citizens' aspirations for dignity and the rule of law and that no nation can or should deny those rights."
US-China relationship under pressure
Despite Chen's change of heart about staying in China, it was unclear if he would be able to travel to the United States. Having left the Embassy and the protection of U.S. authorities, his fate is now in the hands of the Chinese government.
U.S. officials appeared no longer to be with him on Thursday, with the dissident saying he had still not had an opportunity to explain his change of heart to the U.S. side.
"I hope the U.S. will help me leave immediately. I want to go there for medical treatment," Chen said from the hospital, where a pack of camera crews and reporters was waiting outside, kept away from the entrance by a few police.
Chen, 40, is a legal activist who campaigned against forced abortions under China's "one-child" policy. On April 22, he escaped 19 months of house arrest, during which he and his family faced beatings and threats.
Us Embassy Beijing Press Office / Reuters
An handout photo from US Embassy Beijing Press office shows blind activist Chen Guangcheng making a phone call as he is accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke, Wednesday.
Chen's dramatic escape from house arrest and his flight last week to the U.S. Embassy have made him a symbol of resistance to China's shackles on dissent, and the deal struck by Beijing and Washington would have made him an international test case of how tight or lose those restrictions remain.
Now, however, his change of mind throws not only his own future into doubt but also raises questions about the wider U.S.-China relationship.
Reuters, The Associated Press, NBC's Kristin Wilson and msnbc.com's Alastair Jamieson contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
There is a very simple way to deal with China, but the american consumers don't have the will to do it.
Wow, this guy has guts.
And how is it a blind, common man is such a threat to big old China? How is it such a threat to our diplomacy with China if we take him back to the United States?
We all want something, doesn't mean we get it!
I wish he would make up his mind as to what he wants to do instead of embarrising his country and ours.
How about a trade? China can have Clinton and we get the blind lawyer. I know....we don't exactly need more lawyers, but this one is blind. How much harm could he do?
It's nice to see that he was at the hospital with his wife and "TWO" children. Having been to China many times, I would encourage people not to believe everything you hear from the press.
Yes, if you have more than one child... You have to pay additional tax. Some things we hear are just to motivate us to react without good cause.
The hell with chinea and that man quit useing are tax dollers on BS
Are we being played again? Notice the "TWO" children in the hospital picture. Not everything is always what people want us to believe.
He is fighting "One child policy", or does he just not to pay extra tax required for additional children?
Blind activist vs kung fu panda. what a drama..
Yeah well how does it feel to want? There ain't no way Hillary is adopting you. The administration is about appeasement.
Taking bets on whether or not Clinton/Obama ask China to let him go. It may depend on how many Chinese Americans vote, you can bet the posse is adding up the possible loss of votes now. They talk the talk now let's see if they walk the walk for this guy's freedom. Clinton/Obama told him to go back and everything would be fine, obviously he got screwed by going back and now they are letting him hang out to dry. He is one of the most vocal critics of the party and now that they have him he is going nowhere. Just like the missiles for the Poles and Czechs went nowhere, the fighter planes for nationalist China went nowhere;and the support for Israel has gone down the tubes. Note the press has given this story little play. The media is fearful it will hurt the images of Clinton/Obama. Also note no one is Hollywood has said a word about his guy, no Maher protests, no one chaining himself to the Chinese embassy's wall, nothing.. the silence is deafening.
leave him there , we don't need to get involved with his problems
Well, no nation is in a position to deal with all of humanity's problems, not even America.
A very strong and effective international organization, obviously not the UN, should handle matters such as this. The problem with this world is that there are some 200 nations, and all of them want to be totally independent, and yet sit and demand global harmony.
There is a price for everything. You must give away something, in order to gain something else. Without a powerful, international agency, based on the support of the prominent nations of the world, it is very unlikely that humans will exist for many years into the future. They will eventually destroy each other.
It's not Hillary's plane, it belongs to me and everybody else that paid for it. Jet fuel isn't cheap, so get out your checkbook. And by the way, those freebies you're getting from Hillary and her band of merry morons in D.C. - I and the rest of the taxpayers paid for them too.
You need to learn which azz to kiss.
Obama and Clinton have blown another one. The Chinese need to save face and will not let him go. The administration looks weak, not wanting to upset our largest creditor and economic rival.
Way to go, guys!
Well..would you like a side of frys with that-since we're taking requests.
Maybe he can stay at the White House for a few days as well.
I have to laugh at all the Clinton supporters who say it is not our business, these are the same people who said boycott South Africa until human rights are restored, who said give the Palestinians land from Israel, who said let the Cuban refugees in the US, who were for human rights unless liberals like Clinton and Obama said no, then the music stopped and now it is not our business. Remember, Obama won the peace prize, I wonder what the Swedes are saying to themselves now? Clinton let 500,000 people die in the Sudan, no one objected, now 1 activist is doomed and again no one has the courage to speak out. The media is in denial to support Obama, remember the outrage over the kid killed by Zimmerman? Where is that media outrage now? Where are the stories about Chinese justice? Where are the talking heads about this on twitter? "It is a tangled web we weave when once we practice to deceive" just about sums it up, what a disgrace for this country.
OK. there surely is a Saturday Night Live skit somewhere in here. Fade in. Hillary recalls that nobody ever wanted to go home with her before, including Bill on the wedding night. Blind Chinese dissident cons election year conscious U.S. POTUS into leaning on the Secretary of State to take him hime, despite her bad experience with elections, and for that matter, erections. Once here the dissident goes to the Dr. Sandra Belmony eye clinic and regains his sight. He takes a good look at Hillary, googles up Expedia and books the first available flight back to Beijing. Ends with his saying, in Mandarin, "What was I thinking?" OK now, I did the heavy lifting. Casting suggestions, anyone? Extra credit for casting against type.
We do not need anymore Stinking Corrupt Lawyers in the USA, The WH and Capital are infested with them.
Lets TRADE, This stinking lawyer for Hillary. It would save this nation Millions if not billions in the years coming.
Another side show to draw your eye off Obama. The Chinese and US government is one and the same. Nothing new here. Take a good look at the Chinese government. Its coming to a white house near you.
For a blind man to climb the U.S. Embassy walls and seek sanctuary and then beg Hillary
Clinton to take him back to the U.S. with her is a bit much! Something about this story and this man doesn't smell right.
Many people talked about the issue – Chinese human right. From my humble opinion, Chinese human right has been improved dramatically as compared with that of 40 or 50 years ago. Before 1972, Chinese people would be in jail or sentenced to death if they said or did something bad against the communist government. Now Chinese people say what they want to say and do what they want to do as long as they abide by law, rules and regulations, etc. Actually, China is now a communist country in name and a real capitalist country in fact.
Mr. Chen cannot get on Mrs. Clinton’s plane for USA. Can her plane hold 1.4 billion Chinese people? Let Mr. Chen stay in China. Let the Chinese government deal with her own business.
He leaves and he leaves only with his family. He wants to fight and he has to fight for his own family first.
Leave with his own wife and children.
This blind Chinese guy isn't the brightes Moo in the Goo Gai Pan. Anyway, with a history of him and his family beaten up, why would he expect anything different once leaving the U.S. embassy? Anyway, in the U.S. we don't have the right not to be picked up on suspician of a crime, then not to be stripped buck naked and have the police gaze upon our private parts. So where's our human rights.
Your in the land of the free, and the home of the brave, you don't need any human rights, Pinto.