the travel ban on qian was lifted on and he resigned from caltech shortly thereafter. president dwight eisenhower personally agreed, departed from los angeles aboard the "ss president cleveland" in september 1955 amidst rumors that his release was a swap for 11 u.s. airmen held captive by china since the end of the korean war. qian arrived at hong kong on 8 october 1955 and entered china via kowloon–canton railway later that day.