Dissident: China rights situation 'worse and worse'

A blind Chinese dissident who escaped to the United States in 2012 became an American citizen and said that the human rights situation in China is getting "worse and worse."

Chen Guangcheng, speaking through a translator, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he's very happy and grateful that America has welcomed him.

He became a U.S. citizen in Maryland last month and was meeting with members of his legal team in Manchester, New Hampshire, to celebrate his citizenship.

Chen became an international symbol for human dignity after running afoul of local government officials for exposing forced abortions carried out as part of China's one-child policy.

Chen, 49, a visiting fellow at Catholic University of America, said Thursday that he hopes that America "will stand by the Chinese people" against the Communist Party.

Chen also said the Biden administration should insist that an international investigation take place into the origins of the coronavirus.

In June, top U.S. and Chinese diplomats had a sharply worded exchange, with Beijing saying it told the U.S. to cease interfering in its internal affairs and accusing Washington of politicizing the search for the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic.