RENEGADE former Chinese consulate staffer Chen Yonglin has taken advantage of his new status as a protected defector to leave Australia at the first opportunity.
Mr Chen boarded a United Airlines flight to Los Angeles yesterday, saying he was headed to Washington.
“I am going to a US Congress hearing to testify about Falun Gong and continuing human rights abuses in China,” he said. “My major job is to disclose the nature of the Chinese Communist Party and what is happening about the facts of Chinese policy to the Falun Gong.” When he first asked for political asylum, Mr Chen said he feared for his family and told of a businessman who had his son kidnapped by Chinese agents in Sydney. But yesterday he travelled alone.
The Government granted him a permanent protection visa less than two weeks ago.