Chinese blind activist Chen Guangcheng, who escaped from house arrest, now under the protection of the United States. This once again worsened relations between the two superpowers.
U.S. has not given official confirmation of the information that Chen is in the territory of U.S. embassy. China, too, has so far refrained from official comment.
Nevertheless, it is believed that this incident may interfere the meeting of U.S. leadership to begin on the third of May in Beijing.
Christian organization “China Aid“, whose head office is located in Texas, published information from “a source close to the situation around Chen Guangcheng,” that Chen is protected by the U.S. and talks on his future are conducted at the highest level.
“Since this story has caused uproar around the world, the Obama administration can not give Chen to the Chinese authorities at the risk of losing the reputation of the defenders of freedom,” said Bob Fu, head of the organization “China Aid”, dedicated to the protection of religious and political freedoms in China. Chen’s popularity is largely due to the fact that China Aid has actively spread information about him and his arrest.
Mitt Romney has criticized Obama for the policy toward China and the story may weaken the position of the incumbent president and his party.
This is not the first time that a Chinese asks for protection in the territory of the U.S. Consulate, former Deputy mayor of Chongqing Wang Lijun had visited U.S. Consulate on February 6, which resulted in a deterioration of Sino-US relations, led to the scandal within the Chinese Communist Party and the resignation of several officials.