[naturalman1975]

OK - people should bear in mind that at the time this happened, the media here was suggesting Chen was likely to be sent home - even though the Australian government had given no such indication that this was happening - basically the Australian mainstream media was trying to make the government look bad.

Hopefully US diplomats are smarter than mainstream media reporters and realised that it was extremely unlikely that Chen would be sent back, and so didn't grant him asylum because they knew that:

(A) there was no real need to do so at that time.
(B) stealing an ally's defector is rather bad manners.

Taking him if the Australian government had said no, would be one thing.

Taking him while the Australian government was reviewing his case, would be quite another.

[investigateworld]

True enough. The normal response to a defector is to try to get him to remain in place for a period to show his bon fides.
I don't know if we have a gentleman's agreement with Oz as to even handling in these situations. But he should have never left our 'presence' feeling he wasn't wanted.
And I'm certain he'll be monitored for a long time.

[Destro]

So what you see as American diplomats being clever I see as cowardace in the face of potential Chinese wrath.