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| Protect Chen Guangcheng, Mitt Romney tells Barack Obama | Protect Chen Guangcheng, Mitt Romney tells Barack Obama |
| (30 days later) | |
| Mitt Romney waded into Washington's diplomatic dilemma with China by urging Barack Obama to protect the blind civil rights activist who is believed to have sought sanctuary in the US embassy. | Mitt Romney waded into Washington's diplomatic dilemma with China by urging Barack Obama to protect the blind civil rights activist who is believed to have sought sanctuary in the US embassy. |
| The Republican frontrunner raised the political stakes for the Obama administration by saying it should "take every measure" to protect Chen Guangcheng, who escaped from house arrest last Sunday after more than six years. | The Republican frontrunner raised the political stakes for the Obama administration by saying it should "take every measure" to protect Chen Guangcheng, who escaped from house arrest last Sunday after more than six years. |
| "Our country must play a strong role in urging reform in China and supporting those fighting for the freedoms we enjoy," Romney said in a statement. | "Our country must play a strong role in urging reform in China and supporting those fighting for the freedoms we enjoy," Romney said in a statement. |
| His comments came as Kurt Campbell, the US assistant secretary of state, arrived in Beijing and Chinese police moved to detain activists and relatives suspected of being involved in the activist's dramatic bid for freedom last week. | His comments came as Kurt Campbell, the US assistant secretary of state, arrived in Beijing and Chinese police moved to detain activists and relatives suspected of being involved in the activist's dramatic bid for freedom last week. |
| According to friends and overseas human rights groups, Chen is now under US diplomatic protection. | According to friends and overseas human rights groups, Chen is now under US diplomatic protection. |
| Romney, who is expected to challenge Obama in November, did not directly criticise the president's handling of the case but urged a tough line with China, complicating already delicate calculations. "Any serious US policy toward China must confront the facts of the Chinese government's denial of political liberties, its one-child policy and other violations of human rights," he said. | Romney, who is expected to challenge Obama in November, did not directly criticise the president's handling of the case but urged a tough line with China, complicating already delicate calculations. "Any serious US policy toward China must confront the facts of the Chinese government's denial of political liberties, its one-child policy and other violations of human rights," he said. |
| The Texas-based NGO ChinaAid said on Saturday at the weekend that "high-level talks are currently under way between US and Chinese officials regarding Chen's status". Neither government has yet spoken publicly about the issue, which could hardly have come at a more politically sensitive moment for the world's two biggest economies. Campbell was originally expected to visit China later this week. The secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, and the treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner, are due to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday for two days of strategic dialogue. | The Texas-based NGO ChinaAid said on Saturday at the weekend that "high-level talks are currently under way between US and Chinese officials regarding Chen's status". Neither government has yet spoken publicly about the issue, which could hardly have come at a more politically sensitive moment for the world's two biggest economies. Campbell was originally expected to visit China later this week. The secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, and the treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner, are due to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday for two days of strategic dialogue. |
| If Chen is confirmed to be in the embassy, negotiations about his future could overshadow efforts to improve the bilateral relationship. Friends say Chen does not want to leave China, but he will not put himself into the hands of the authorities unless there are guarantees for his safety and liberty and that of his family and associates. | If Chen is confirmed to be in the embassy, negotiations about his future could overshadow efforts to improve the bilateral relationship. Friends say Chen does not want to leave China, but he will not put himself into the hands of the authorities unless there are guarantees for his safety and liberty and that of his family and associates. |
| Diplomatic sources described the situation as messy, with the potential to affect US-China relations for several months. With the US presidential election looming, the White House will not want to hand over a high-profile civil rights campaigner who exposed illegally enforced abortions by officials. | Diplomatic sources described the situation as messy, with the potential to affect US-China relations for several months. With the US presidential election looming, the White House will not want to hand over a high-profile civil rights campaigner who exposed illegally enforced abortions by officials. |
| The Chinese government is months away from a transition of power and struggling to overcome a scandal sparked by the death of the British businessman Neil Heywood that brought down municipal party leader Bo Xilai. | The Chinese government is months away from a transition of power and struggling to overcome a scandal sparked by the death of the British businessman Neil Heywood that brought down municipal party leader Bo Xilai. |
| Jean-Pierre Cabestan of Hong Kong University said if Chen was at the embassy, the two governments would probably try to downplay the issue, at least until the end of this week's talks. | Jean-Pierre Cabestan of Hong Kong University said if Chen was at the embassy, the two governments would probably try to downplay the issue, at least until the end of this week's talks. |
| "Then the Obama administration will try to find a solution that may not be asylum, but an assurance from Beijing that they will stop harrassing Chen; but if that does not work, asylum will eventually be granted," he said. | "Then the Obama administration will try to find a solution that may not be asylum, but an assurance from Beijing that they will stop harrassing Chen; but if that does not work, asylum will eventually be granted," he said. |
| Nicholas Bequelin, of Human Rights Watch, said it was unlikely that the Chinese government would accept Chen's demands for an investigation into his case. In the interim, Washington should offer to take Chen and his family to the US for "medical reasons". "If Beijing is not ready for that either, they should be ready to shelter Chen for a longer time, until a solution is negotiated," Bequelin said. | Nicholas Bequelin, of Human Rights Watch, said it was unlikely that the Chinese government would accept Chen's demands for an investigation into his case. In the interim, Washington should offer to take Chen and his family to the US for "medical reasons". "If Beijing is not ready for that either, they should be ready to shelter Chen for a longer time, until a solution is negotiated," Bequelin said. |
| Human rights groups emphasise that negotiations should also focus on the plight of Chen's family and supporters. Several were targeted by police at the weekend. He Peirong, who drove Chen to Beijing, was detained on Friday. | Human rights groups emphasise that negotiations should also focus on the plight of Chen's family and supporters. Several were targeted by police at the weekend. He Peirong, who drove Chen to Beijing, was detained on Friday. |
| Another alleged collaborator, Guo Yushan, not been heard of since Saturday and is thought to have been taken away by police. The activist Hu Jia, who was photographed with Chen after his escape, was held and questioned for more than a day. The whereabouts of Chen's wife and daughter remain unknown. His nephew Chen Kegui has been arrested for allegedly fighting local officials, activists said. | Another alleged collaborator, Guo Yushan, not been heard of since Saturday and is thought to have been taken away by police. The activist Hu Jia, who was photographed with Chen after his escape, was held and questioned for more than a day. The whereabouts of Chen's wife and daughter remain unknown. His nephew Chen Kegui has been arrested for allegedly fighting local officials, activists said. |
| In a separate case, a Chinese writer who fled the country last year alleged that officials had detained a friend for seven months in the mistaken belief that he funded the escape. Liao Yiwu, now living in Germany, urged writers and campaigners to call for Li Bifeng's release. | In a separate case, a Chinese writer who fled the country last year alleged that officials had detained a friend for seven months in the mistaken belief that he funded the escape. Liao Yiwu, now living in Germany, urged writers and campaigners to call for Li Bifeng's release. |
| Liao said a court was likely to consider Li's case on 8 May, although prosecutors had twice rejected attempts to charge him with economic crimes. "The pretext provided this time was too far-fetched even for the Communist party," he wrote. | Liao said a court was likely to consider Li's case on 8 May, although prosecutors had twice rejected attempts to charge him with economic crimes. "The pretext provided this time was too far-fetched even for the Communist party," he wrote. |
| "I recently learned from several channels that the police arrested Li Bifeng because of me. The police suspect [he] financed my escape – this is a groundless lie." Liao slipped across the border into Vietnam last July after authorities had denied him permission to leave China 17 times. | "I recently learned from several channels that the police arrested Li Bifeng because of me. The police suspect [he] financed my escape – this is a groundless lie." Liao slipped across the border into Vietnam last July after authorities had denied him permission to leave China 17 times. |
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