Chinese Dissident Chen Guangcheng Heads for US

http://www.voanews.com/content/chinese_activist_new_york/727314.htmlStephanie HoMay 19, 2012Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng and his family have left China on a flight headed for the United States. Chen and his wife, plus their two children, obtained their passports at Beijing's international airport, shortly before boarding a United Airlines flight.The flight is due to land at Newark airport (just outside New York City) Saturday evening local time.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.Activist Chen Guangcheng (file photo)​​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.