The Hill News

The State Department confirmed early Thursday morning that activist Chen Guangcheng wants to leave China with his family.

Chen ignited a political and diplomatic firestorm last week when he sought refuge in the American embassy in Beijing after escaping house arrest. The blind dissent, an outspoken critic of China's one child policy, had originally agreed to leave the embassy to get treatment for an injury and be reunited with his family.

But a deal with Chinese authorities that would have located Chen to the university town of his choice and allowed for regular check-ins with American diplomats fell apart Wednesday after Chen said he only left the embassy because he felt that his wife's life was in danger and that he still wanted to leave China.

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