Video: Blind Chinese dissident escapes

>>> secretary of state hillary clinton leaves tonight for china. a previously scheduled trip that now has an important new goal. protecting the fate of one man, a chinese dissident who made a remarkable escape from house arrest a week ago and is now thought to be under u.s. protection in beijing . nbc's ian williams has our report from there tonight.

>> the fate of this man has become the biggest test for u.s./china rilgzs in years. a challenge delivered white littery to the use doorstep. friends of chen said they then drove him the 300 miles from his village to beijing and he's now in what they describe as the only safe place in china. the u.s. embassy here. no sign of extra security at the embassy today, but the issue is so delicate that there's been no comment from officials here, chinese or american, including the state department 's pointman for asia.

>> can you tell us what you're here in beijing for?

>> this men's crime in the eyes of the chinese government was to expose forced abortions and sterilization under the country's one child policy. the 40-year-old self trained lawyer, blind since childhood, was jailed in 2006 and then put under house arrest . he says he and his wife were beaten. his young daughter harassed. his every movement was monitored, visitors prevented from meeting him, yet he was able secretly to plot his escape. after a tunnel was discovered, he stayed at home for weeks, pretending to be sick, hoping jailers would drop their guard, and they did. and he snuck over the border. secretary clinton due here witness for previously scheduled talks has been critical of the house arrest .

>> i can certainly guarantee that we will be discussing every matter, including human rights , that is pending between us .

>> one big sticking point may be chen's stated preference to stay in china and fight for justice instead of accepting a one-way ticket to exile. another is the fate of his family, now under virtual hosarrest themselves and supporters, some of whom have been detained since his escape.

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