On July 7, the Chinese authorities allowed dissident writer Gu Chuan and his family to leave for New York, where he will take a position as a visiting scholar at Columbia University. 
 
According to Radio Free Asia, he was warned by Chinese police not to give interviews to the media or get involved with overseas activists in the United States. Gu, a cosigner of the prodemocracy manifesto Charter 08, had  previously been barred from leaving China due to his political writing. 
 
After the authorities prevented him from boarding a plane to the United States on April 6, he, his wife, and their two children were placed under de facto house arrest in the capital. 
 
Hubei-based writer Liu Yiming said it was unlikely that the Chinese authorities would allow Gu to return to China. His prompt exit was seen as part of a government effort to avoid any political disruptions ahead of the 18th Communist Party Congress scheduled for the fall. 
 
Referring to Gu and several other influential Chinese activists, prominent AIDS and environmental advocate Hu Jia said that in the government’s view, “they are an unstable factor, so it’s probably better to let them leave.” 
 
Travel restrictions on political and religious dissidents are common in China, and over the past year, some writers have fled clandestinely, while others have been stopped at the border or denied passports (see CMB No.44). 
 
Nevertheless, the regime’s strategy may have begun to change in May, when Beijing allowed prominent activist Chen Guangcheng to leave for New York. 
 
He had escaped from extralegal house arrest in April and took refuge in the U.S. embassy, causing a major scandal. Chen has spoken freely with the media since his arrival, raising doubts about the efficacy of the warnings issued to Gu (see CMB No. 59).
 
 
Radio Free Asia 7/9/2012: Dissident writer allowed to go to US
 
 
 
 
 
Continue reading the original article.