When Hillary Clinton went on her first trip abroad as secretary of state, she boldly stated that the United States should not allow human rights disputes to interfere with cooperation with China on global issues. Now that Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng is reportedly under US protection in Beijing, the United States will see if China shares the same perspective. Chen's escape, following nearly two years of house arrest, and his apparent request for US protection, come at a challenging time for both countries, as they prepare for important economic and security discussions in Beijing. It is unlikely that the United States would hand Chen over to Chinese authorities against his will, according to current and former US officials. China now faces a decision - risk damaging the overall relationship with the United States by engaging in a standoff, or seek a compromise, a possibility that analysts and officials consider likely but not guaranteed. A senior official from the Obama administration, speaking anonymously, expressed doubt that the relationship between Beijing and Washington would be severely damaged. The official noted that the current situation is not as serious as past incidents such as a spy plane crash or the Tiananmen Square massacre. Despite this, the official believes that China will make efforts to handle the situation carefully. Past events, such as the collision between a Chinese fighter jet and a US surveillance plane in 2001 and the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989, have strained relations between the two countries in the past. At this time, the United States has not officially confirmed the reports of Chen fleeing from house arrest in China to seek refuge in the US embassy. China has also chosen not to directly address the dissident's alleged escape from his heavily monitored home. However, according to Texas-based ChinaAid, a source close to Chen Guangcheng has revealed that he is currently under US protection and there are ongoing high-level discussions between US and Chinese officials regarding his situation. This development will create an uncomfortable backdrop for the upcoming Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Beijing, where US secretaries of state and treasury are scheduled to visit on Thursday and Friday. The news of Chen's escape follows the incident three months ago when Chinese official Wang Lijun sought refuge in the US consulate in Chengdu, leading to the Bo Xilai scandal that has caused turmoil within the ruling Communist Party ahead of a leadership transition. Chris Johnson, who was recently the top China analyst for the CIA, expressed concern about the current state of Sino-US relations, pointing to recent events such as the Bo Xilai case, Chen's escape, and reports about the US potentially selling Taiwan new F-16s. According to Johnson, these developments may be viewed by some in Beijing as part of a US containment strategy to hinder China's growth. The response from China's leadership will depend on how they balance nationalist sentiments with a desire to avoid disruptions to the upcoming Communist Party leadership succession. Shi Yinhong, an expert in US-China relations at Renmin University, believes that China will likely seek a quick and quiet resolution to prevent further complications in foreign relations and domestic politics. Cancelling scheduled meetings this week would not be in the best interest of either country. "I believe the United States will not use this situation to shame China. They are still trying to have an impact on China's actions regarding North Korea and Syria. They are trying to minimize the consequences of this incident as they are aware it is already embarrassing for China. The US and China have successfully resolved complicated issues in the past. For example, in April 2001, a collision between a US Navy EP-3 signals intelligence aircraft and a Chinese fighter resulted in the death of a Chinese pilot and an emergency landing of the US plane on Hainan island, about 70 miles off the coast." The 24 US crew members were held in detention until April 11, when they were finally released after the United States issued a letter expressing deep regret for the death of the Chinese pilot and acknowledging that the EP-3 had entered China's airspace without permission. In February 2009, Secretary of State Clinton emphasized that while the US would continue to address issues such as Taiwan, Tibet, and human rights with China, these concerns could not overshadow urgent global crises like the economy, climate change, and security. Despite the implication that human rights might not be the top priority, experts argued that it would be unacceptable for the US to extradite Chen against his will due to moral and political reasons. Tom Malinowski, a former White House official and current director of Human Rights Watch in Washington, stressed that such a move would be morally indefensible and likely met with strong opposition within the administration. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has criticized Obama for his stance on China, which could worsen if Obama is perceived as abandoning Chen. Analysts and activists have outlined two potential outcomes for Chen's situation: he could be released in China with assurances for his safety and that of his family and supporters, or he could go into exile despite his reluctance to leave China. Kenneth Lieberthal, director of the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution in Washington, stated that they would not force the individual out of China without being very confident that he would not face any negative consequences for his actions. Lieberthal added that it is difficult to have confidence in this if the individual remains in China, as the situation there is unpredictable. He believes that eventually, the individual will likely be escorted to the airport with assurances that he will be able to leave the country. Lieberthal also mentioned that it is unlikely the individual will be able to return to China, possibly never or at least not for a long time.