New | China has promised I can return, says Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei
The artist, who was recently returned his passport, has travelled to Germany to see his family
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei said in an interview published on Wednesday that the Chinese authorities had returned his passport with almost no strings attached and promised him he could return to the country.
Ai travelled to Munich in Germany last week after having his passport returned, four years after it was confiscated, for a medical check-up and to see his young son.
In an interview with the Munich-based daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung, the dissident artist said the Chinese authorities now had a more positive attitude towards him.
“They know that I want to make China into a better country, that I am concerned about the young generation,” Ai was quoted as saying. “There is a basis of trust, otherwise they would not allow me, the former enemy of the state, my exhibitions; otherwise they would not have returned my passport.”
Asked under what conditions his passport was returned, he replied that “there were almost none”, without elaborating.
“They promised that I could come back, which was very important to me. They said, ‘you are a free person’,” he said.
