The Chinese government has begun to help Chen Guangcheng, the blind legal activist, prepare for leaving the country under a deal agreed with the US but the move is likely to take some time, Mr Chen told the Financial Times yesterday.
The remarks offer confirmation that Beijing is taking concrete steps to follow up on a statement made last Friday that Mr Chen could apply to study abroad like any other citizen. Mr Chen said the central government had sent Guo Shucong, a senior official from the state bureau for letters and calls, the office dealing with petitions, to help him with the formalities.
New York University has said it is ready to issue a formal invitation to Mr Chen to travel there as a visiting scholar as the basis on which the US could issue him a visa. But the Chinese authorities need to give him a passport first.