Whistleblower 'stopped from visiting the US'

BEIJING - A military doctor who exposed China's Sars cover-up has been barred from visiting the United States, in keeping with curbs imposed after he asked for a re-appraisal of the 1989 Tiananmen protests, sources said yesterday.

Jiang Yanyong's request to quit the People's Liberation Army was also refused, apparently to allow the military to continue to rein him in, two sources familiar with his plight told Reuters.

"They won't let him leave the country or retire," said one source who met Jiang recently, requesting anonymity.

Jiang's wife, Hua Zhongwei, left in July to visit their daughter in California but the 74-year-old semi-retired surgeon was unable to join them. He declined to comment on whether he wanted to quit the military.

His employer, the No. 301 Hospital, refused to comment.

Jiang became a hero to many Chinese for exposing the Sars cover-up in 2003 that led to the sacking of the Health Minister and the Beijing Mayor and prompted accurate reporting of the epidemic. A second source said Jiang has been told that military officers holding his rank and higher cannot quit.

The No 301 Hospital sat on his application to visit the US, the source said. "They want to contain his influence ... and erase him from public memory."

Jiang was freed from months of house arrest in March but restrictions were placed on him, including curbs on speaking without permission to Chinese and foreign reporters, travelling overseas and attending activities at the invitation of foreign groups or individuals. "The authorities are worried once he is outside the country none of the restrictions would apply," the second source said.

- REUTERS