U.S. ambassador to China Gary Locke to step down

BEIJING (Reuters) - The U.S. ambassador to China, Gary Locke, whose term was marked by a dramatic diplomatic row over the fate of a human rights activist, said on Wednesday he will step down from his role early next year for personal reasons.

Locke is the first American of Chinese descent to head the U.S. embassy in Beijing. His 2-1/2 years as ambassador were highlighted by a tussle over blind activist Chen Guangcheng, who escaped from house arrest to seek refuge in the embassy and secured a visa to study in the United States last year.