"We can use this as a chance to make the world understand what kind of system they are working with. This is a real opportunity," Ai told AFP as he prepared to challenge a bill for alleged unpaid taxes he says is politically motivated.[break]
Ai, 54, had been given until Wednesday to settle a 15 million yuan ($2.4 million) bill for alleged unpaid taxes that was levied against a company he has links to after he was released from police detention in June.
On Tuesday he handed $1.3 million in donations from his supporters to the Chinese authorities to clear the way for an appeal against the charge.
The artist, best known in China for his role in designing Beijing´s "Bird´s Nest" stadium, denies the charge that he evaded taxes for years and has vowed to challenge it, but to do so he had to deposit collateral with the tax bureau.
The money was raised from supporters who came from far and wide to help him raise cash, some even throwing money over the walls into his courtyard home, including banknotes folded into paper planes.
Total donations had reached 8.69 million yuan ($1.4 million) by Sunday night, when the appeal closed, according to Ai.
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