Days before their annual bilateral meeting begins, the United States and China are staying largely quiet about the blind dissident who recently escaped house arrest and is thought to be under U.S. protection in the Chinese capital, Beijing.
The top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, Kurt Campbell, arrived in Beijing Sunday. He is expected to talk with Chinese officials about Chen Guangchen, a lawyer and activist who received a four year jail sentence in 2006 for highlighting abuses stemming from China's one-child policy.
After serving his full sentence, Chen was put under strict surveillance in his home in Shandong province.
<!--IMAGE-RIGHT-->Activists say Chen's house arrest was mostly enforced by thugs hired by local officials from his hometown, Linyi. Activists say Chen made a daring escape from his home last week and spent days on the run before seeking what some believe is refuge with U.S. diplomats in Beijing.
Officials at the U.S. embassy have not confirmed the reports.
Chen's ordeal comes ahead of the Strategic and Economic Dialogue, scheduled to begin this Thursday in Beijing.
Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, who has in the past pressured the Chinese government to release Chen, and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner are set to meet with their counterparts to discuss relations and broaden the scope of cooperation between the two countries.
Zhu Feng, professor of U.S.-China relations at Peking University, describes the issue as a "hot potato" for both countries. "First of all they want to maintain a low key approach," he said, adding that "There is a tacit agreement that the situation should not be hyped."
While Chen's escape has made headlines around the world, there has been no report of his status in Chinese media. Chinese internet censors have also silenced discussion about the case online.
Besides the Chen case, there are other issues expected to cause friction at this week's meeting, including the possibility that the Obama administration will approve warplanes sales to Taiwan.
The White House has only said it is considering the proposed sale, which would cause heated criticism in Bejing. Chinese authorities consider Taiwan part of China, and view arm sales to the island as an unwelcome interference in Chinese domestic affairs.
Because this is an election year in the United States, professor Zhu says the Obama administration is in a very difficult spot in the talks with China. "The basic principle is that the U.S. should not make easy concessions to China," he said, "But, at the same time, Obama cannot not want a severe conflict with China over human rights, or over arms sales in Taiwan because he realizes that Chinese economic and financial repercussions would be severe."
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