Clinton leaves China
- 12 years ago
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton left Beijing on Saturday (May 5) after tumultuous negotiations with China over the blind rights activist Chen Guangcheng, who plans to travel to the United States under a deal to end the standoff.
Despite some speculation that Chen might fly out on the same plane as Clinton, who heads to Bangladesh and then India, the 40-year-old activist remains in a Beijing hospital after a dramatic escape from 19 months under house arrest in his home village.
Clinton's aircraft left at about 2 p.m. (0600 GMT), a Reuters reporter at the Beijing airport said.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday that Chen could apply to study abroad following his dramatic appeal to a U.S. congressional hearing on his case, when he asked to be allowed to spend time in the United States.
But rights activists sounded a note of caution, saying Beijing could move slowly on granting Chen permission to leave for fear that appearing soft might embolden other challengers before a power handover late this year.
Despite some speculation that Chen might fly out on the same plane as Clinton, who heads to Bangladesh and then India, the 40-year-old activist remains in a Beijing hospital after a dramatic escape from 19 months under house arrest in his home village.
Clinton's aircraft left at about 2 p.m. (0600 GMT), a Reuters reporter at the Beijing airport said.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday that Chen could apply to study abroad following his dramatic appeal to a U.S. congressional hearing on his case, when he asked to be allowed to spend time in the United States.
But rights activists sounded a note of caution, saying Beijing could move slowly on granting Chen permission to leave for fear that appearing soft might embolden other challengers before a power handover late this year.