Chen arrives for new life in United States

Chen and his family were accompanied on the flight by two Chinese-speaking officers from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, and they were met at Newark-Liberty International Airport by State Department personnel and NYU Law School Professor Jerome Cohen.

After landing at Newark-Liberty International Airport, Chen and his family headed straight to New York University.

Standing on crutches in Lower Manhattan, Chen thanked both U.S. and Chinese officials for how the situation has been resolved since he escaped house arrest and turned up at the U.S. embassy in Beijing last month.

“For the past seven years, I have never had a day’s rest,” he said through a translator, “so I have come here for a bit of recuperation for body and in spirit.”

“I feel like everybody is very passionate,” he said. “I will say a few simple words to everyone here.

“After much turbulence. I have come out … thanks to the assistance of many friends. The embassy has given me partial citizenship here.

“I’m very grateful to the U.S. and to the Chinese government for my protection over the long term. Very grateful to other friends like France, who have called in their support. I am gratified the Chinese government dealt with situation with restraint and calm.”

Mr Chen spent three weeks in Chaoyang Hospital in Beijing after a daring escape from his own house, where he had been imprisoned for 19 months by officials in China’s north-eastern Shandong Province.

After his escape from his home village of Donshigu, he sought refuge in the American embassy for several days, but left for the hospital after it became clear that Chinese officials would send his wife and two children back to Donshigu if he refused to come out.

He told Asia Correspondent John Sparks that he felt “anxious” about leaving China and “sad for so many reasons”.