China Dissident Chen Says Wants to Leave for US

The Chinese legal advocate Chen Guangcheng, facing the end of his fellowship at New York University, has claimed that NYU is forcing him out due to Chinese pressure. NYU's participation in a complex deal to allow Chen to leave China to study gave the dissident and his family breathing space, and helped the United States and China untangle a thorny diplomatic dilemma after Chen fled to the U.S. embassy in Beijing in April 2012. NYU in fact did a great favor not only for Chen but also for both the U.S. and Chinese governments.

The Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng's daring and extraordinary escape to the U.S. embassy in Beijing has captivated the world. At first, it appeared that U.S. diplomats and the Chinese government brokered a deal that satisfied Chen and everyone involved. But now Chen says he wants to leave China, and that he feels unsafe.

Blind dissident Chen Guangcheng said New York University faced "unrelenting" pressure from Communist officials in China to oust him as it prepares to open a Shanghai campus.

Chinese censors Monday blocked web searches of a host of terms related to blind activist Chen Guangcheng, from his name to "Shawshank Redemption", the prison-break film being compared to his case.Chen fled house arrest in eastern China a week ago with the help of supporters, slipping out under the noses of dozens of guards and into safety at the US embassy in Beijing, dissident Hu Jia and other activists have said.

I thought this was an amusing call to arms. And a very dangerous indeed call to arms as well: Chen Guangcheng, the Chinese dissident whose flight to the U.S. in April roiled U.S.-China relations, said iPhone-maker Apple Inc. (AAPL) should take a more outspoken role criticizing China for its [...]

Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei may not be allowed to leave his native China, but his art is free to travel the globe.