BEIJING (AP) — Chinese legal activist Chen Guangcheng is
appealing to the newly named head of the ruling Communist Party
to carry out political reforms to avoid violence.  In a taped
statement from exile in New York released Sunday, Chen said Xi
Jinping needs to promote change to assuage anger against
political oppression.  Just days earlier, Chen's nephew was
sentenced to three years in prison for assault, in what was seen
as retaliation by local officials angered by Chen's daring
escape from house arrest in April. Chen, who is blind, fled to
the U.S. Embassy and set off a diplomatic tussle between Beijing
and Washington that embarrassed the central government.  Xi was
named party chief last month and will take over as state
president next month.