Chen’s ‘Change of Heart’ Puts U.S. Officials on Defensive

U.S. diplomats defended their handling of a deal that led legal activist Chen Guangcheng to give up the safety of the American embassy, saying he later had a “change of heart” about his decision to stay in China.

Chen, a legal activist who is blind, was imprisoned for more than four years after representing villagers who opposed forced sterilizations. He consistently told U.S. diplomats during a week-long stay in the embassy in Beijing that he wanted to remain in China with his family, U.S. officials said.