When he left the mainland in 1993, Han Dongfang wanted nothing more than to return immediately.
This was despite the four years he had spent in jail for his role in organising worker protests during the Tiananmen Square crackdown. But he knew that if he did, the authorities were likely to put him back behind bars. Sixteen years later, Mr Han has been reconciled to his life as an exile in Hong Kong.
In fact, he regards himself as lucky compared with other dissidents who settled in other countries.
'Looking back, it was the best choice,' he said. 'Nowhere else could I have achieved as much as I have in helping Chinese workers and understanding their plight as I have in Hong Kong.'
Mr Han came to the city after mainland authorities released him for health reasons. He is a permanent resident and holds a Hong Kong passport.
Mr Han is director of the China Labour Bulletin, a Hong Kong-based group that exposes worker abuse. He also frequently writes articles on mainland labour rights and hosts programmes on Radio Free Asia, which are broadcast in the mainland.