Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng arrived in New York to a throng of cheering supporters on Saturday. He will soon begin a fellowship at New York University Law School’s U.S.-Asia Law Institute, and he spoke to the crowd at NYU about his plight: “After much turbulence, I have come out of Shandong,” he said, through an interpreter. “This is thanks to the assistance of many friends.”
After seven years under house arrest, Chen is no doubt enjoying his freedom. But how much of an impact will the Chinese dissident have from abroad? How will his influence in China change, now that he’s in the United States? What do the Chinese public know about this story – and will they be able to follow Chen’s progress under China’s strict media censorship?
Bob Fu is a Chinese human rights activist and pastor, living in the United States. He was instrumental in publicizing Chen Guangcheng’s case and helped negotiate his release.