Lakhota
Diamond Member
By Dan Levin
From enemy of the state to New York University law student, China's Chen Guangcheng has left on a plane bound for Newark. Dan Levin on the blind dissident's sudden departure.
Beijing Chen Guangcheng, the blind legal activist who ignited a diplomatic firestorm between the United States and China by escaping house arrest and obtaining refuge in the U.S. embassy, left China on a plane bound for the United States on Saturday afternoon. His departure signals the long-awaited resolution to a case that riveted the world and embarrassed the Chinese government over his daring flight to freedom, first from his Chinese captors and now to U.S. soil, where he will attend New York University on a fellowship to study law.
"We can confirm that Chen Guangcheng, his wife and two children have departed China and are en route to the United States so he can pursue studies at an American university," said Victoria Nuland, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department in a statement. "We are looking forward to his arrival in the United States later today. We also express our appreciation for the manner in which we were able to resolve this matter and to support Mr. Chen's desire to study in the U.S. and pursue his goals. "
Chen and his family left on a United Airlines flight bound for Newark, NJ. They had been waiting in a Beijing hospital for nearly three weeks while Chinese authorities processed their passport applications so they could fly out of China as part of a deal with the United States.
More: Blind Dissident Chen Guangcheng Leaves China on Plane for U.S. - The Daily Beast