Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng warns Beijing against suppression

Taipei: Activist Chen Guangcheng has made a stern warning to Chinese leaders, saying their efforts to crush opposition forces or suppress human rights will only backfire.

Chen said Monday he is convinced that the rapidly growing yearnings for freedom and human rights among the Chinese will eventually "put an end to the authoritarian rule" in China.

Chen made the comments at a news conference in Taiwan, where he is making a two-week visit.

Chen, who was born blind, escaped house arrest in China last year and sparked a diplomatic crisis when he fled to the US Embassy in Beijing. He ended up moving to the United States and spent the last year as a special student at New York University.