Dissident escapes China by inflatable boat in fourth attempt to reunite with family | CNN

A Chinese dissident has made a daring 30-hour escape from China by sea to South Korea, his fourth attempt to try and flee authorities in his homeland and reunite with his family who have been granted asylum in Canada. Dong Guangping, a former police officer who has faced years of imprisonment and detention for his activism, fled using an inflatable boat and was picked up by South Korean Coast Guard on Monday, his lawyer and a fellow activist told CNN. Dong – who has also been granted asylum in Canada – previously fled to Thailand and later Vietnam, only to find authorities in those countries detain and deport him back to China, sparking anguish for his family and criticism from rights groups and United Nations officials. His arrival in South Korea could now put pressure on the administration of President Lee Jae Myung – who took office last year and has tried to reset his country’s often shaky ties with China. South Korean Coast Guard officials confirmed fishermen spotted an unidentified boat on Monday evening and reported it to the authorities. The Coast Guard told CNN the person on the boat was a Chinese national man in his 60s, but declined to confirm his identity under