Washington: The United States is ready to give blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng a visa “right away” and expects Beijing to stand by its promises, Vice President Joe Biden said on Monday.
Biden told NBC television that Washington wanted to help Chen take up the offer of a fellowship from New York University.
“I think his future is in America. His future is that he has an opportunity to go to NYU. The Chinese have told us that if he files the papers to be able to go abroad, that will be granted. We’re prepared to give a visa right away. He’s going to be able to take his family. We expect the Chinese to stick to that commitment,” he said.
Biden said the change in Guangcheng’s position was understandable and there was no diplomatic failure.
“Well, I can only put myself in Mr Cheng’s position. He came into the embassy. He was physically hurting, he needed medical help. He said he hadn’t seen his family for a year, he wanted to be reunited, and he said, ‘I don’t want to leave China. I just want to go back to my village.’ That was arranged,” he said.
Biden said standing up to the freedom is more important for the Obama Administration and refuted allegations that the US has backed off from its commitment on human rights. (PTI)