Chen Guangcheng
Early in Locke's ambassadorship, Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng escaped from house arrest and sought refuge in the U.S. Embassy in Beijing in April 2012. On May 2, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded an apology from the U.S. for its role in the incident. In an editorial on May 4, "Beijing Daily" questioned Locke's motives by taking Chen in, describing Chen as "a tool and a pawn for American politicians to blacken China."