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China, US settle row over blind dissident
China and the US on Friday appeared to have found a way out of a messy diplomatic row, with Beijing agreeing to let a blind Chinese dissident at the centre of the crisis to leave the country and Washington assuring all assistance to give him asylum.
The Chinese Government, which earlier demanded an apology from the US for allowing human rights activist Chen Guangcheng to take shelter in its embassy gave in on Friday and said that he could apply to obtain necessary travel documents to go abroad.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said in a press release that Chen may apply to study abroad according to China’s laws. Answering a host of questions, Liu later told a media briefing that Chen could get a passport.
His “criminal record” of the past may not come in the way as he has already served sentence in a previous case, he said. The blind activist, who is convalescing in a hospital here appealed to US leaders yesterday for political asylum for him and his family.
Appreciating China’s softening of stand on Chen, whose week-long stay in the US embassy virtually overshadowed the two-day high level US-China strategic and economic dialogue, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Washington would provide all necessary assistance.
China and the US on Friday appeared to have found a way out of a messy diplomatic row, with Beijing agreeing to let a blind Chinese dissident at the centre of the crisis to leave the country and Washington assuring all assistance to give him asylum.
The Chinese Government, which earlier demanded an apology from the US for allowing human rights activist Chen Guangcheng to take shelter in its embassy gave in on Friday and said that he could apply to obtain necessary travel documents to go abroad.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said in a press release that Chen may apply to study abroad according to China’s laws. Answering a host of questions, Liu later told a media briefing that Chen could get a passport.
His “criminal record” of the past may not come in the way as he has already served sentence in a previous case, he said. The blind activist, who is convalescing in a hospital here appealed to US leaders yesterday for political asylum for him and his family.
Appreciating China’s softening of stand on Chen, whose week-long stay in the US embassy virtually overshadowed the two-day high level US-China strategic and economic dialogue, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Washington would provide all necessary assistance.
