Chinese dissident at Beijing airport heading for US Blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng says he is at Beijing International Airport ready to leave for the US but has still not received a passport. The activist had been staying at a Beijing hospital after causing a diplomatic rift between China and Washington last month when he escaped from house arrest and took refuge at the American embassy. The 40-year-old has won support for exposing forced abortions under China's "one child" per family policy. Chen agreed to leave the embassy but later said he feared for his family's safety and wanted to leave China. Beijing authorities have agreed to let Chen leave for the US. He thinks he and his family will be heading for New York once a US visa is stamped in his passport.