Chinese media dubs Chen a pawn of US

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Chinese media dubs Chen a pawn of US

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Chen fled house arrest last week and took refuge in the US embassy before leaving on Wednesday.

04 May,2012 10:11 am

Chinese state media said Friday that Chen Guangcheng, the blind activist at the centre of a diplomatic row, was a pawn of the United States and blasted US diplomats for sheltering him.Chen fled house arrest last week and took refuge in the US embassy before leaving on Wednesday, but has since changed his mind and asked to go to the United States.Chen Guangcheng doesnt represent many people, he really represents the interests of his behind-the-scenes backer, Western anti-China forces, the government-backed Beijing Daily newspaper said in an editorial.Chen Guangcheng has already become the tool and pawn of American politicians to throw mud on China, it said.The newspaper also criticised US ambassador to China Gary Locke by name for his part, accusing him of playing tricks and overstepping his diplomatic role.What we have seen is basically not a cautious ambassador to China but a standard American politician who takes the initiative to stir up a whirlpool of differences, it said.If (Locke) really wants to be a good ambassador to China, he should be more serious and conscientious.China has demanded an apology from the United States for what it called interference in its internal affairs.Another newspaper, the China Daily, said the United States was using Chens case to smear China while ignoring progress on human rights.It is not fair for some Westerners to champion a particular case such as Chens in order to attack Chinas overall human rights conditions, especially as the country is determinedly progressing, it said in a commentary.The Global Times, known for its nationalistic stance, said the US embassy had brought trouble on itself and defended Chinas human rights record.Human rights progress cannot be realised in one night through a political decision, it said.Chen achieved worldwide renown for his work helping to expose abuses under Chinas one-child population-control policy in Shandong, including forced sterilisations and late-term abortions.He was jailed for four years, and placed under unofficial house arrest after he was released from prison in 2010.