(Reuters) - Blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng told a CNN reporter he felt "let down" by the United States after he left the U.S. Embassy for a Beijing hospital on Wednesday, and CNN quoted him as saying he now feared for his life and wanted to leave China.
"He wants to leave and he wants to leave as soon as possible. He's made this appeal directly to President Barack Obama himself," a CNN reporter said on air. He said he had spoken to Chen for about 15 to 20 minutes by telephone after Chen was reunited with his wife.
Earlier U.S. officials and Chinese officials said Chen left the embassy of his own free will after days of negotiations between the two governments.
The CNN reporter said Chen told him that while he was in the U.S. embassy he was not given the full story. He had since spoken to his wife who told him she was mistreated by Chinese authorities and they now feared for their safety.
"He wants to leave China. If he stays here he says he will not live," the reporter said.
(Writing by Claudia Parsons; Editing by Jackie Frank)