This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/23/chen-guangcheng-visits-taiwan
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Chen Guangcheng visits Taiwan | Chen Guangcheng visits Taiwan |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng is due to arrive in Taiwan on Sunday, a week after he suggested New York University was forcing him to leave because of pressure from Beijing. | The blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng is due to arrive in Taiwan on Sunday, a week after he suggested New York University was forcing him to leave because of pressure from Beijing. |
| Chen's trip to address the Taiwanese parliament and speak at universities was overshadowed when a row broke out about the end of his tenure at NYU, where in 2012 he took up a one-year fellowship that allowed him to leave China. Chen has written that soon after his arrival NYU began to come under "great, unrelenting pressure" from Chinese communists in US academia to force him out. | |
| Bizarre claims then emerged that supposed supporters of Chen had given him a phone and iPad loaded with spyware and tracking capabilities when he started at NYU. | Bizarre claims then emerged that supposed supporters of Chen had given him a phone and iPad loaded with spyware and tracking capabilities when he started at NYU. |
| The heads of NYU strenuously denied they were bowing to pressure because they want to open a campus in Shanghai and said the deal for the university to host Chen had simply come to an end. | The heads of NYU strenuously denied they were bowing to pressure because they want to open a campus in Shanghai and said the deal for the university to host Chen had simply come to an end. |
| Chen sparked a diplomatic crisis between China and the United States in 2012 when he fled to the US embassy in Beijing from house arrest. Since then he has been a special student at NYU's US-Asia Law Institute while working on a book due out this year. | Chen sparked a diplomatic crisis between China and the United States in 2012 when he fled to the US embassy in Beijing from house arrest. Since then he has been a special student at NYU's US-Asia Law Institute while working on a book due out this year. |
| Chen's trip to Taiwan was part of his efforts to enhance freedoms and human rights for his fellow Chinese, said the tour's organiser, the Taiwan Association for China Human Rights. | |
| Chen's Taiwan visit offers a challenge for the country's president, Ma Ying-jeou, who has built his administration around better relations with China, from which Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949. | |
| China claims Taiwan as its territory and resents any Taiwanese activity that embarrasses Beijing. The island is a democracy but Ma is also trying to improve relations with the Communist party government on the mainland. | China claims Taiwan as its territory and resents any Taiwanese activity that embarrasses Beijing. The island is a democracy but Ma is also trying to improve relations with the Communist party government on the mainland. |
| In May, the Chinese government in effect warned Chen to mind his language when he visits Taiwan. "As a Chinese citizen, on his activities overseas he should know how to protect the country's dignity and fulfil his responsibilities as a citizen," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei. | In May, the Chinese government in effect warned Chen to mind his language when he visits Taiwan. "As a Chinese citizen, on his activities overseas he should know how to protect the country's dignity and fulfil his responsibilities as a citizen," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei. |
| The Taiwanese presidential office said Ma had not scheduled a meeting with Chen. | The Taiwanese presidential office said Ma had not scheduled a meeting with Chen. |
| In Taiwan Chen is scheduled to give a news conference, address the island's legislature, meet the parliamentary Speaker, Wang Jin-pyng, and speak at universities. | In Taiwan Chen is scheduled to give a news conference, address the island's legislature, meet the parliamentary Speaker, Wang Jin-pyng, and speak at universities. |
| Chen escaped house arrest in his rural town in eastern China's Shandong province in April 2012. Chinese officials later let him move to the US with his wife and children in an arrangement negotiated with the United States. | Chen escaped house arrest in his rural town in eastern China's Shandong province in April 2012. Chinese officials later let him move to the US with his wife and children in an arrangement negotiated with the United States. |
| He had angered local Chinese officials by documenting complaints about forced abortions. A self-taught lawyer, Chen has criticised China's human rights records, speaking about it before a US congressional committee. | He had angered local Chinese officials by documenting complaints about forced abortions. A self-taught lawyer, Chen has criticised China's human rights records, speaking about it before a US congressional committee. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday. |