Chinese political dissident Dong Guangping has arrived in Canada after fleeing China by sea and first reaching South Korea. Multiple outlets report that the 68-year-old former policeman escaped in a small inflatable rubber boat (described as about 3.3 meters/10.8 feet) and spent extended time at sea, with one report noting roughly 40 hours on the journey. He reached South Korea in May, where he was detained by South Korea’s coast guard for allegedly violating immigration law. Reports also describe Dong as a long-time critic of Beijing, advocating political reform and human rights, and as someone who has been imprisoned multiple times in China.
After being detained in South Korea, Dong later moved to Canada. Several outlets state he flew to Canada and landed in Toronto on or around Friday, according to statements attributed to a friend or reports of his travel. One outlet ties the timing to confirmation by a friend and another notes that the move follows what it describes as multiple prior attempts to escape China. The accounts consistently describe the escape route as China to South Korea by dinghy, followed by travel onward to Canada.
