A Chinese technology specialist has become the latest high profile defector to leave China, calling for a democratic change in the Communist regime.
Jia Jia, Secretary General of the Science and Technology Association, defected from the People's Republic of China on October 22 while on a tourist trip in Taiwan.
After being denied asylum there, he was deported to Hong Kong seven days later, leading some observers to fear for his safety.
Professor C. L. Chiou, who specialises in International and Asian politics at the Universities of Queensland and Taipei, told The Epoch Times that if Mr Jia was sent back to China, "he would be persecuted, he would be jailed and even his life would be in danger." Professor Chiou believes that Mr Jia's first asylum bid was denied because "Taiwan was too afraid to handle this hot potato."
On November 2 Mr Jia used a Thailand entry visa to enter Bangkok. He was granted a temporary refugee status two days later, which is valid only for two weeks. However, he says he hopes to return to Taiwan because of the island's closeness to China. He believes his defection would encourage more Chinese people to stand up against what he describes as the oppressive rule of a one-party system.
Professor Chiou stated: "There must be thousands, if not millions, of people in China who would like to seek political asylum, would like to go out of China, but at the moment it is very difficult for them even to go out."
"[The Chinese people] have been really carefully monitored, not only their behaviour, but their thinking," says Professor Chiou.
Mr Jia believes that 95 per cent of the top officials inside China wish to withdraw from the Party, following the recent wave of resignations that now stand at 15 million, according to the website counts monitored by The Epoch Times.
"Many countries and many governments have refused to believe the reality behind the number and refuse to believe that such a campaign is indeed going on," he said.
Jia Kuo, Mr Jia's son in New Zealand, felt "relieved" after he heard the most recent news about his father finding safety in Thailand.
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