May 25, 2013 Washington DC 1:31 AM

Highlights / Interview

Chinese Dissident Chen Guangcheng Appears on VOA

Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng (right) is interviewed by VOA's Huchen Zhang
Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng (right) is interviewed by VOA's Huchen Zhang
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31.01.2013

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng told VOA Thursday that the Chinese government had lost its legitimacy and failed to honor commitments he says it made to not punish family members accused of helping him to escape house arrest last year.
 
The blind, self-taught lawyer and activist has been studying law in the United States since he left China after a tense diplomatic standoff at the U.S. embassy.  He spoke on VOA’s Chinese language TV program Wei Shi.
 
VOA China Branch Chief Sasha Gong says it was a real honor to have Chen back on the program. “I admire him so much for the efforts he has made to promote democracy in China,” Gong says.
 
The interview was well timed.  Chen was awarded the Tom Lantos Human Rights Prize by the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice on Capitol Hill Tuesday.  He said he did not believe the Chinese people can tolerate one-party rule any longer and that “fundamental change is inevitable.”
 
Chen also said he was a regular VOA listener when he was in China.  Read more on his interview here (link).