Escape buoys China dissidents

BEIJING -- The surprising escape of a blind legal activist from house arrest to the presumed custody of U.S. diplomats is buoying China's embattled dissident community, even as the government lashes out, detaining those who helped him and squelching mention of his name on the Internet.

The flight of Chen Guang-cheng, a campaigner for rights of the disabled and against coercive family planning, is a challenge for the authoritarian government, and, if he truly is in U.S. custody, for Washington, too. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell arrived in Beijing yesterday to smooth the way for annual talks involving Hillary Rodham Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.

Though Chen, a self-taught legal activist described by friends and supporters as calm and charismatic, hardly seems a threat, security forces and officials have reacted angrily, detaining several of his supporters. A nephew who fought with officials after the escape was discovered is on the run.

Police showed up at the home of veteran activists Zeng Jinyan and Hu Jia, who met with Chen last week while he was hiding in Beijing. "They were really irritated," Zeng said. "It was a big shock for them."

Without confirming whether Chen is in U.S. hands, Obama's counterterrorism adviser, John Brennan, said the president would work to further human rights while preserving ties with Beijing. He spoke on "Fox News Sunday."

Mitt Romney, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, expressed his concern Sunday for the safety of Chen and his family, urging U.S. officials to offer them protection. "Our country must play a strong role in urging reform in China and supporting those fighting for the freedoms we enjoy," Romney said in a statement.