THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF LEGAL JOBS ON EARTH
LawCrossing Legal Daily News Feature
NYU School of Law Offers Solution to U.S.-China Diplomatic Tensions The diplomatic tensions between U.S. and China over the escape of blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng timing his escape with Hillary Clinton’s visit to China and taking shelter at the U.S. Embassy seems to be ending with the NYU School of Law stepping in for rescue. Though the series of events including the number of voltefaces encountered in the episode raises questions as to how much of the rescue was actually engineered by wellwishers of Chen.
05/07/12
global sites.” Chen, who is a legal scholar, has been offered a fellowship at the university which includes
People conversant with the Chinese political mindset
shelter and sustenance for his wife and two children.
would find it difficult to refute that the ‘daring
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland
escape’ may well have been “coaxed and allowed”
has confirmed the fact and China’s foreign ministry has
by government forces in China. While there was
said the Chen is free to apply to study abroad.
little incentive for Chen’s well wishers to time the escape with Clinton’s visit, for well-wishers of the
Nuland said, “Over the course of the day, progress has
government, the timing of the escape helped to put
been made to help him (Chen) have the future that he
Clinton in diplomatic embarrassment. It successfully
wants and we will be staying in touch with him as this
helped to divert media attention to a matter of almost
process moves forward.”
no consequence at a time when both the media and the delegates should have been focusing on matters
Liu Weimin a Foreign Ministry spokesman of China
that really needed to be solved for interests of U.S.
said that if Chen “wants to study abroad, he can, like
Further, the blind scholar/activist’s “on China/off China”
any Chinese citizen, go through proper channels and
volte-faces helped to keep up media frenzy riveted
relevant departments and procedures according to law.”
to the wheelchair while U.S. diplomats were put to discomfiture by Chinese officials bringing up the issue
John Beckman, NYU vice president for public affairs
of Chen at odd moments when matters of national
issued a statement holding, “Chen Guangcheng has
importance needed to be settled.
long-established relationships with faculty at the NYU School of Law, and has an invitation to be a visiting
Anyway, the matter seems to be heading towards a
scholar at NYU – either in New York or at one of our
final solution with the NYU School of Law announcing
other global sites. As a visiting scholar, he would be
on Friday that the school has invited Chen to be a
working with our law programs and scholars.”
visiting scholar “either in New York or at one of our
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