Standoff in China over dissident inching toward resolution

Source: USA Today

BEIJING - The diplomatic standoff between the United States and China over a blind dissident's fight for freedom inched closer to resolution Friday after Chinese officials said he could apply to study abroad.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said she was encouraged by the statement from China's Foreign Ministry, but it didn't appear to be the major breakthrough U.S. officials had been hoping for in the case of human rights activist Chen Guangcheng.

"Progress has been made to help him have the future that he wants, and we will be staying in touch with him as this process moves forward," Clinton said. "We will continue engaging with the Chinese government at the highest levels."

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland issued a statement saying that China "indicated that it will accept Mr. Chen's applications for appropriate travel documents. The United States government expects that the Chinese government will expeditiously process his applications for these documents and make accommodations for his current medical condition. The United States government would then give visa requests for him and his immediate family priority attention."

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2012-05-04/chen-china-us/54741886/1?csp=34news