Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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                 Chinese Dissident Chen Guangcheng Heads for US

   by Stephanie Ho

   Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng is on his way to the United States,
   after weeks at the center of a diplomatic tussle between Beijing and
   Washington.
   Chen Guangcheng departed Beijing airport late Saturday afternoon aboard
   United Airlines Flight 88. The flight is due to arrive in the U.S. city
   of Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday evening.
   Before the flight, Chen spoke to VOA briefly, as he was waiting at the
   airport.
   He said his family is with him and that they have their passports. He
   said they are headed for New York.
   ''Chen is a blind legal activist who was jailed for four years for
   speaking out against sterilizations and abortions forced on residents
   by family planning officials. After he was freed from prison in 2010,
   he was kept under heavy surveillance, and reportedly even beaten, at
   his home in Shandong.
   Family friend and U.S.-based Christian activist Bob Fu, with a group
   called ChinaAid, hailed the news.
   "We are happy for Chen and his family. This is a victorious and great
   day for freedom fighters like Mr. Chen."
   Fu says he thinks the development also reflects well on the Chinese
   government, and the current state of U.S.-China human rights diplomacy.
   "I do think it demonstrates a level of new progress, and improved
   maturity. And I do think this case is certainly a successful one, and
   we will wait and see whether it will continue - especially for his
   extended family members."
   Fu called on the Chinese government to investigate what happened to
   Chen in his home village, and also look into local authorities'
   treatment of Chen's extended family members who are still there. He
   says Chen is worried that his family members will be subject to
   retaliatory actions, including violence.
   The Chinese government had no immediate comment, but Foreign Ministry
   spokesman Hong Lei addressed Chen's case on Thursday.
   He pointed out that Chen was in the hospital for medical treatment, but
   can go through what he called "the relevant procedures to study abroad,
   according to Chinese law."
   Fu says since Chen is following the law, he hopes China also will allow
   him to return if he wants to.
   "A normal Chinese citizen first should be guaranteed both the freedom
   of travel overseas, but [also] the freedom to come back home."
   Chen escaped from his heavily-guarded house arrest in April, and spent
   six days in the U.S. embassy in Beijing, before going to a local
   hospital to treat an injured foot.
   He is reported to have been offered a fellowship to study law at New
   York University.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/chinese_activist_new_york/727314.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/chinese_activist_new_york/727314.html