Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit the United States on September 24. Prior to this, family members of several American citizens detained by the Chinese Communist Party have stepped up their calls for the U.S. government to intervene and urge China to release their loved ones.
According to a report by the South China Morning Post, the families of seismologist Chen Youlin, Burmese scholar Min Zin, Dawn Michelle Hunt, and Nelson Wells Jr. are requesting Washington to raise these cases in their contacts with Beijing.
Chinese-American scientist Chen Youlin traveled to China in October 2024 but was detained at Beijing airport. It has been reported that to date, his wife and other relatives have been unable to meet or communicate with him for over 670 days.
Chinese authorities have accused Chen Youlin of engaging in espionage activities. The South China Morning Post pointed out that this case may be related to his past work analyzing earthquake data, including data related to North Korean nuclear tests.
The U.S. government has officially classified Chen Youlin and Min Zin as “wrongfully detained” individuals.
This designation signifies that the U.S. government will prioritize diplomatic and other relevant measures to seek the release of these American citizens.
Reports indicate that U.S. consulate officials have visited Chen Youlin, and he also has legal representation advocating for his rights.
Chen Youlin’s wife, Yufang Rong, expressed concerns about her husband’s health during his detention and revealed that he has experienced weight loss during this time.
On the other hand, two American citizens, Dawn Michelle Hunt and Nelson Wells Jr., were convicted in separate drug cases by Chinese courts and have been serving over 12 years in Chinese prisons.
Their families stated that they were unknowingly transporting drugs and hope that China will release them for humanitarian reasons.
The families also highlighted concerns about the health of the two individuals and hope for assistance from the U.S. government in securing their release.
The U.S. State Department stated that the U.S. has raised Hunt and Wells’ health issues with Chinese officials multiple times and requested their unconditional release on humanitarian grounds.
On November 27, 2024, the U.S. and China reached a prisoner swap agreement resulting in the successful release and return to the U.S. of three Americans who had been long held by China. They are:
– Mark Swidan: Detained for drug-related charges for several years, considered unjustly detained by the U.S.
– Kai Li: Sentenced on espionage-related charges, also classified by the U.S. as wrongfully detained.
– John Leung: Previously convicted of espionage and sentenced to life imprisonment.
With Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to Washington next week, the cases of these American citizens long detained by China once again become a topic of discussion in U.S.-China diplomatic interactions.