Northern Colorado Gazette

by Jack Minor –

A blind  Chinese dissident who exposed China’s forced abortion policy, could soon  be free in the West if US and Chinese officials are able to successfully  iron out a deal to secure his asylum.

Bob Fu with ChinaAid, a Texas-based rights group said the two countries want to reach agreement on the fate of Chen Guangchen before this Thursday’s annual high-level talks.

“The Chinese top leaders are deliberating a decision to be made very soon, maybe in the next 24 to 48 hours,’ Fu said, citing a source close to the U.S. and Chinese governments. Both sides are ‘eager to solve this issue.” Fu is a former teacher at a Communist Party academy in Beijing whose  advocacy group focuses on the rights of Christians in China and maintains a network of contacts in the country.”

Fu said ultimately it depends on China’s willingness to facilitate Chen’s exit.

Chen is a well-known dissident who angered authorities in rural China after he exposed forced abortions in the country. Chinese officials have long denied that such things take place.However, they also deny other human rights violations such as organ trafficking as well.

Following his being placed under house arrest, Chen escaped a week ago into the protection of US diplomats in Beijing. This situation poses a thorny issue and diplomatic crisis for both governments, especially when one considers the timing.

The annual talks, known as the strategic and economic dialogue are intended to help provide stability to a relationship that is often stormy and provide ways to work out disputes on issues such as trade, Taiwan, Iran and North Korea.

Currently, there is no solid intelligence that indicates Chen desires to leave China. A video made last week shows no mention of his wanting to go abroad, however if he were willing to leave China, Washington officials would find it difficult to turn them away.