Mr. Jia Jia, former general secretary of the Shanxi Provincial Association of Scientists and Technology Experts, publicly broke away from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) while on a tourist trip in Taiwan. Jia's defection has confirmed the existence of the "Quitting the CCP" phenomenon in mainland China. Jia, currently staying in Thailand, once again is confronting his dash to freedom.
Jia's visa for Thailand will expire on November 24. Although several countries are considering giving him humanitarian aid, a representative from the United Nations' Thailand refugee bureau indicated yesterday that the procedure for verifying Jia's status is going to take some time. Meanwhile Jia must guarantee the legitimacy of his visa for Thailand, otherwise he may face arrest by authorities and court hearing for the right of residence in Thailand.
Jia stated that the arrangements made by the CCP in regards to his affairs shows that the CCP is very afraid. Since Jia's defection, many intellectuals and officials in mainland China can follow and pay attention to the development of his case through the Internet. Whether Jia can safely arrive in a third country at the end will affect the development of the democratic movement in China.
After Jia arrived in Thailand on November 3, he obtained a temporary refugee status from the United Nations that day. The refugee bureau personnel told Jia that he needed to continue to stay in Thailand for the visa to be effective. After Jia's interview on November 8, the United Nations personnel informed him that they hope to have results after a week.
On November 15, the Global Service Center for Quitting the CCP staff who assisted Jia called the refugee bureau for an update. The bureau replied that it needed more time for the examination for approval process, and they should inquire a week later.
On November 22, when the staff phoned in again, they were told that Jia's documents need to pass through the Geneva headquarters for examination and approval, therefore they need to wait for an uncertain length of time. The bureau also reminded that if Jia stays beyond the visa's expiration, he is subject to possible arrest, court fines and even a court hearing for a ruling on his residence in Thailand. Local and other public figures believe that the delay for approval is because the United Nations have received pressure from the CCP.
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