Deal over blind activist Chen Guangcheng agreed between US and China Asked for clarification, senior state department officials said the issue of Mr Chen's right to return "hadn't come up" in discussions with the Chinese, but said they believed China was honouring its commitments made during negotiations last week. After two days of negotiations, during which Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of State, intervened at several key moments, Chinese officials reportedly agreed that Mr Chen could take up a fellowship at New York University. "The Chinese government has indicated that it will accept Mr Chen's applications for appropriate travel documents," said Victoria Nuland, a State department spokesman. The US government expects that the Chinese government will expeditiously process his applications for these documents ... Officials declined to provide details on the possible timing of Mr Chen's departure for the US, but confirmed that a student visa would entitle him to bring his wife and two children to America. Mr Chen is thought likely to travel as soon as he recuperates from three broken bones he sustained while escaping from the guards at his home village. Editorials in Beijing's main newspapers yesterday accused Mr Chen of being a "tool" of the West. Mrs Clinton underlined that while "progress has been made to help him have the future he wants," there was "still more work to do," suggesting that the US is waiting for China to approve Mr Chen's travel before the matter is concluded. While Mr Chen's friends and fellow activists were muzzled from speaking to the media, by Friday they all appeared to have been released from custody. However, one of Mr Chen's friends, lawyer Jiang Tianyong, said he had been badly beaten by national security officers as he tried to visit the hospital on Thursday morning. The whereabouts of Mr Chen's brother and nephew, are unknown, and his elderly mother is thought to remain in his home village, possibly under police guard. Bob Fu, of the rights group ChinaAid welcomed the deal for Chen, but warned many of those who had helped him still faced danger. The fight for freedom and rights continues. Beijing gives Chen freedom with one hand and beats rights defenders with the other. ChinaAid will remain vigilant," he said.