A Year Later, A Fragile Liu Xia Still Recovering

A year after the widow of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo moved to Berlin, her physical and mental health continues to be fragile but recovering as she gets used to living in Germany, her brother and friends tell RTHK.

But her family and friends said even though Liu Xia has already left China, they are being kept under close watch by the authorities.

Almost a year after Liu Xiaobo died, Beijing released Liu Xia on July 10 last year after eight years of house arrest, and allowed her to leave the country.

Liu Xia’s younger brother, Liu Hui, remains in China on parole after being convicted of fraud. Although he cannot visit his sister, Liu Hui said he talks to his sister on the phone every week. He said he believes his sister will choose to be alone on the second anniversary of Liu Xiaobo’s death this Saturday.

“She’s doing okay. She has gained some weight and her mood is improving. She is still taking medication, and is slowly getting used to life in Germany. She has met some new friends, too," he said.

"She must be feeling sad in recent days, but her memories [of Liu Xiaobo] is a private matter, so she will prefer to be alone,” said Liu Hui.

An exiled mainland dissident, Wang Dan, who met Liu Xia in Germany recently, said he doesn’t think Liu Xia has to take over Liu Xiaobo’s role as an advocate for China’s political reforms.

“Liu Xia has never been a political figure. If people have too much expectation of her, it will put pressure on her, and will do no good in helping her emerge from the shadow of the past. I hope people will give her more room to just let her be herself. As far as I know, I don’t think Liu Xiaobo would want Liu Xia to shoulder his political responsibilities,” he said.

A good friend of Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia, writer Ye Du who lives in Guangzhou, said that he had been under the authorities’ close watch because of his support for the couple.

Even though Liu Xia’s left, Ye Du said the surveillance on him has become tighter than ever.

He said he is not even allowed to leave Guangzhou this year – which marks the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the PRC – because authorities are worried that he may organise events against the party.