He limped painfully supported by his crutches. But when Chen Guangcheng set his foot on the asphalt of Manhattan after his arrival from Beijing, a ear-to-ear smile lit up his face.

Arriving at a building in Greenwich Village where he will now live, he took the time to make a brief statement to the press to express his gratitude to US authorities.

At the same time, Chen welcomed the "restraint and calm," with which the Chinese government, according to him, had handled his case.

"I hope to see that they continue to open discourse and earn the respect of the people," he said.

An hour earlier, sporting a white shirt and dark glasses, Chen arrived with his wife and two children at Newark International Airport from Beijing, which he left Saturday morning.

The self-taught lawyer, who needed help to get out of the white van that picked him up at the airport, showed little sign of fatigue.

He nevertheless explained that for the past seven years, he "never had a day of rest."

"I am here for recuperation and study," Chen added.

He was referring to years spent in prison, which were followed by house arrest.

Chen's arrival in New York followed a month of diplomatic tension, which saw him escape from his village and seek refuge in the US Embassy in Beijing.

In a video address to China's Premier Wen Jiabao posted online, Chen said he had suffered repeated beatings and expressed serious concerns for his wife and family.

Chinese and American diplomats scrambled to find a solution, and reached an initial agreement under which Chen would stay in China under more agreeable conditions.

Chen left the embassy but regretted it almost immediately, telling journalists that he wanted to go to the United States. China later relented, saying he could apply to go abroad like any other Chinese citizen.

After being holed up for more than two weeks at a Beijing hospital with his fate still uncertain, Chen was suddenly given notice earlier Saturday to pack up his belongings and prepare for departure.

He was offered a scholarship at New York University and now spent his first night in freedom at a building reserved for university teachers and students.

His departure from Beijing had been kept secret until the last moment.

According to Bob Fu, president of the Christian association ChinaAid, Chen himself was kept completely in the dark until about 10:00 am Saturday when he was told to pack his bags.

He received his and his family's passports at the airport.

But despite what he called the "turbulence" of the previous stage of his life, he seemed to have lost none of his fighting spirit.

"We should continue to fight for goodness in the world and against injustice," Chen told reporters.

Speaking Chinese with the help of an interpreter, he also expressed his gratitude to Canada, Switzerland and France for their support.

Dozens of American journalists, and a handful of Chinese nationals were on hand to witness his arrival.

A young woman with a bouquet of flowers unsuccessfully tried to approach him, loudly imploring for permisson to hug him. But she was blocked by security.

Even after he had left, Chinese families continued to file past his apartment building, leaving bouquets of flowers.