Amb. Bolton: Handling of dissident is a 'train wreck'

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I think we've got a train wreck in process here.

The dissident Chen Rong Chang is -- outside the American Embassy meaning he's no longer under.

Our protection he's saying that day he left because Chinese authorities were threatening to kill -- wife.

And he now says he wants to leave China and come to the United States.

The State Department is denying big chunks of that so we've got a real disconnect between.

What our State Department thought they were doing and what this now very vulnerable Chinese dissident -- was happening.

Well that was former ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton on the plight of Chinese dissident -- -- -- change the topic.

He's calling state department's handling of this entire incident quote diplomatic malpractice.

This is we're getting reports that the blind activist who has been beaten and jailed for sounding the alarm on China's forced abortions.

Is now begging begging US officials.

For safe entry out of China.

The diplomatic standoff threatens to overshadow the new round of important economic talks between secretary of state Hillary Clinton Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner.

He's also there.

And the Chinese Government.

-- to -- now Simon Rosenberg who is the president and founder of the progress of new Democrat network and a former campaign advisor for President Bill Clinton.

And Ken Blackwell former US ambassador to -- -- UN human rights commission.

And he's on the board of the Becket fund for religious liberty.

What a mess Ken let me start with you what a -- so you know the guy.

Shows up at the embassy.

-- -- -- -- Now he starts right now is now is our problem.

But our secretary of state or Treasury Secretary about to get there we gotta get mad at there -- so we don't have as international diplomatic blow -- we do.

Supposedly was all you know rainbows and unicorn and tell the guy actually sat down with the associated press and said.

I was threatened and my family was threatened that's why I left I need to get -- here my life's in danger what are our obligations.

Our our our obligations.

To take -- Stan -- the declaration of human rights and that's great dissident look.

This is a classic problem.

That's that's shows an entanglement of economic national security and human rights matters and the Obama administration is basically saying.

That the economic and that the national security issues trump the human rights are right it will if we give noted that they're not right -- if if if we did not have 47 percent of our debt.

Being held by the Chinese and if we didn't have to work with the Chinese.

And issues concerning Iran and and -- nuclear.

Aspirations.

We in fact would be taken a strong stale we should be taken a strong stand put this individual.

And it in defense of of life in defense of women.

And and and this is an embarrassment it not only is at a train wreck it as a diplomatic embarrassment.

Simon.

Ambassador Bolton said the same thing that this is this is a train wreck you heard.

The quote that this is diplomatic malpractice and there's now talk that this is reflecting adversely.

The administration.

Maybe we shouldn't have let him into the embassy.

Maybe we shouldn't have talked him into leaving the embassy where he's now no longer safe that's that's seems to be unanimous according to most reports.

What what should think dot.

Well I think I think it is a train wreck but it's much more of a train wreck for the Chinese than it is for the United States I mean China is now reinforcing -- -- in the entire world.

But it repressive and autocratic regime it is the limits of freedom and political expression and China censorship that took place one of your fellow networks -- there TV show council last night in China when it was -- because they were.

Airing a segment about mr.

chants of first of all I think the train wreck is really for the Chinese.

The second thing is just to go through what happened -- -- because the administration's gone too.

Extraordinary likes he didn't show up at the embassy showed up in Beijing they got a call.

They set a car to go get him they were chased by the Chinese authorities throughout all of Beijing -- car chases that went on with the American Embassy.

Sticking their neck out to bring this to -- back into the embassy they sat down of them and they said what are you want will give you asylum.

There are many options that you have he said I wanna stay home I want -- -- with my family that's -- wanna be.

He made the decision he made the decision to leave.

And after he left he has changed his mind so this is a very difficult situation is going on as you pointed out very rightly the backdrop of a big international gathering.

And that you know this but we're not done there's still things that can be done and I think people -- -- patients.

And that the administration continue to try to get the right solution for mr.

Chan and his family -- remember.

His wife and his child are still being held by the Chinese Government we can't whisked them all out of the country.

We can whisk him out that -- Stanley would stay behind so.

Let's let the government do its thing let's see where we aren't a few days.

How -- or what what.

How do you get added that's now I mean it's stuff.

You know it's like it's Simon points out the under the human rights problems in China and we dollar aware of what they're doing over there the forced sterilizations.

The forced abortions.

The infanticide that they're guilty and yet.

Even though we'd like to say we don't do business with countries and people who do that.

Do.

Well look five -- Simon is right this and say.

Light -- -- and the human rights abuses in China but where he's wrong is that the Chinese they don't care.

They they really don't care and we.

We were in the forefront of shaping this document.

The universal declaration of human rights and has and -- at the at the family research council.

We've been in the forefront of taking a stand up for life or Kuo also globally and domestically we've taken its boot of the -- Do you know this I mean this is like 01 shiny citizen who feels does him.

And -- It is it is it is -- power or want some times.

The giant in the field of human rights.

-- to calm down on the side of the individual that has taken a stand against you know.

A bit of government a state a nation that has no respect for the rule of law does not democratic and is is is really not.

A practitioner of human rights.

I mean he is suggesting -- is suggesting that.

He was -- he did not leave the embassy of his own volition that he was he was basically told your wife's not going to be safe.

If you stay here let's leave.

You know as.

As Bolton put it last night it was it was sort of nice -- he got there be a shame if something happened -- that's his suggestion now that that he would be his wife would get beaten.

If he did not leave.

If that's true -- We got a diplomatic problem on our -- Now Megan I I think that what what what you're saying about the threat came from the Chinese.

-- didn't come from the US the American side to him.

And this is just hard called reality right the Chinese to hold his family.

The American said what are you wanna do we congratulate asylum if you like.

He said no I need to stay here because if I don't if I stay in the embassy in if I go to the United States they're gonna tell my family.

And so I'm that I -- and I'm gonna try to make this work.

-- denies that decision tonight are not rain -- not sure if you take anti and it may get all told them.

Megan that he's not he says it's one thing -- -- -- that's not true what has been clearly documented by the American government is that all of this was discussed he's now changed his mind he didn't deny what took place in the discussions.

Now that he got out and realize that he's sort of back and going to be vulnerable the Chinese authorities.

He's changed his mind.

And so the point that you made earlier is that look this is a tough situation.

I think the administration's gone very very far right before a major international gathering to give this guy.

Comfort in their own embassy is -- I'm actually kind of shocked they did that to Begin with they went way out of their way to bring him -- he didn't show up at the door they went and got him.

And I think the key thing now is that we've got to keep the diplomatic track forward there is this is not over things can get negotiated by also agreed mr.

Blackwell right.

The Chinese don't really care.

About their own people that exhibited once again and so you know what they're not out on the you know but we can't -- and -- and I think that the administration is doing a very nuanced and complicated dance here let's give them a little room and see what they can do bad guys thank you both so much.

-- -- -- --

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Amb. Bolton: Handling of dissident is a 'train wreck'

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