Dissident to dish

The blind Chinese dissident who escaped to New York after sparking a diplomatic row between Beijing and Washington will give his first extensive talk about his ordeal this week.

Chen Guangcheng (pictured), who angered Chinese authorities by exposing forced sterilizations and abortions for rural women, will speak at the Council on Foreign Relations on the Upper East Side Thursday. Chen, who arrived in New York May 19, is now studying law at NYU.

He escaped from home confinement on April 22 and hid out in the US Embassy in Beijing before finally being given permission to leave the country with his family.

A self-taught attorney who speaks little English, Chen will appear with NYU law Professor Jerome Cohen, who has acted as a mentor for the dissident for nearly nine years.

In an interview last week, Chen said he worried for the safety of friends and relatives who helped him escape.