Study in US safe, Chinese parents assured

A community leader has called on Chinese parents with children studying in the United States not to overreact about the alleged kidnapping of Zhang Yingying, a visiting scholar who went missing in June.

Simon Pang, president of the US Sino Friendship Association, said the incident had concerned Chinese people - and Asians generally - but stressed it was an isolated case.

The Asian community has been actively involved in the case, he said. "Even Henry Chang-Yu Lee (one of the world's foremost forensic scientists) has been involved. I was also involved, making comments, making suggestions," he added.