Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng applauded the democracy in Taiwan and said Sunday that the citizens should be proud of it.
"I am impressed by the success of Taiwan's democracy. Taiwan should be proud of it," said Chen Guangcheng, who is currently on an 18-day visit to the country.
The blind activist escaped from China to the U.S. and created quite a diplomatic uproar last year.
Chen is scheduled to speak in Parliament as well as meet with members of the opposition and human rights groups, reported BBC.
The Chinese activist's visit to Taiwan comes days after he revealed that Beijing was influencing the New York University to end his fellowship.
The Association for China Human Rights is hosting the trip, which is being described as "a trip for freedom and human rights".
The self-taught lawyer who stood up against forced abortions under Beijing's one-child policy has been a fellow at New York University since mid-2012 after his dramatic escape from his house arrest in the Shandong countryside to the U.S. embassy in China and later to the United States.
Lately Chen complained that he was being forced from the university due to pressure from the Beijing government.
"As early as last fall, in August and September, the Chinese Communist Party already began to use all sorts of means to exert enormous pressure on NYU. It was such that after we had been in the United States just three to four months, NYU was already starting to discuss our departure with us," said Chen Guangcheng in a statement.
"The work of the Chinese Communists within academic circles in the United States is far greater than what people imagine, and some scholars have no option but to restrict themselves," said Chen in the press statement.
Chen was initially asked to leave the university by the end of this month but later the deadline was extended till July 15.
A Taiwanese university has expressed interest in inviting the blind activist to the island as a visiting scholar, according to the chairman of the trip-organizing association.
"It is a trip for freedom and human rights. It is of special significance when Taiwan is engaging China," said Yang Sen-hong, chairman of the Association for China Human Rights.
Ma Ying-jeou, President of Taiwan, is not going to meet the Chinese activist in order to avoid a diplomatic row between Taiwan and mainland China.
