Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/04/19
By: Chu Tze-wei and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, April 19 (CNA) A Chinese civil rights activist who left his tour group last week and asked for political asylum in Taiwan flew back to China on Wednesday of his own volition, the National Immigration Agency (NIA) said that day.

The agency assisted Zhang Xiangzhong (張向忠) with his departure earlier in the day, it said.

The 48-year-old civil rights activist from Shandong Province arrived in Taiwan on April 12 as part of a Chinese tour group on an eight-day visit. However, he left the group the next day and kept his whereabouts unknown until Monday.

Before being found by the NIA in New Taipei that day, Zhang had indicated his intention to seek political asylum. He claimed that his act was inspired by the dauntless actions of Lee Ching-yu (李凈瑜) to save her husband, Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-che (李明哲), who is being held in China.    [FULL  STORY]