No progress made on Chinese dissident Chen's passport application for US

Beijing, May 12 (ANI): Blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng, who escaped from house arrest and took asylum in US Embassy in Beijing, has said that there has been no progress made on his passport application for the United States.

China had promised him that he could apply to study abroad when he left the embassy, ut more than a week later Chen told the BBC that there had been no movement.

He said that no Chinese officials had visited him in recent days, no photograph had been taken and no forms were filled.

He was offered a course at New York University and the US formalities appear to have been completed.

Chen spoke to the BBC from the hospital where he is now confined under the supervision of Chinese guards.

"I haven't heard anything," Chen said, adding, "Chinese authorities promised they would help, but I don't know if they will".

He added that no US diplomats have visited him in recent days either. (ANI)