Despite a blitz by censors to limit online discussion about blind activist Chen Guangcheng - who left the safety of the US embassy yesterday afternoon and plans to stay on the mainland - internet users who have followed his dramatic escape from police custody have commented however possible.
Many comments expressed admiration for Chen and his decision to remain on the mainland, where he plans to attend university, while others were contemptuous of the government placing blame on the US and demanded an apology.
They also speculated that Chen, who left the embassy and met with his family at a hospital in the company of US ambassador Gary Locke suggested the two countries had reached some sort of accord.
Qiu Xuyu, a lawyer and a verified Sina microblog user, wrote: 'I strongly support the US embassy 'interfering' in China's internal affairs this time, and I hope this kind of interference is done more often.
'Every inch of China should be free, and it is humiliating to all Chinese people that Chen had to escape to the US embassy [for shelter].'
The comments came after Xinhua reported that Chen, a native of Yinan county in Shandong province, who entered the US embassy in Beijing last week, had left of his own volition. Chen sought refuge at the embassy after escaping from house arrest. Sina's microblog site was among those heavily targeted by censors, who were quick to pull down most mentions of the story. Some mild criticism and neutral discussions were left untouched, but many commenters were careful not to mention the activist by name.
A Sina search for 'Chen' returned no results 'based on relevant laws and regulations'.