Washington: A Chinese-born American seismologist has been detained in China for nearly two years and faces trial on espionage charges, according to his wife, US lawmakers and two hostage advocacy groups. The seismologist published work on the detection of U.S.-funded North Korean nuclear tests.The case of Chen Youlin has heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed rivals, as President Trump seeks to keep relations stable after tariff-related issues last year.On March 19, Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeled the 54-year-old “wrongfully detained” and made his release a top priority for the United States. Trump’s wife, Yufang Yung, said the Trump administration’s lack of public announcements leaves room for high-level diplomacy aimed at ensuring his freedom.A U.S. source familiar with Chen’s case said the government was “committed to his release from unjustified detention.” The source spoke on condition of anonymity. Chen, who became a U.S. citizen in 2011 and lives in Boston, Massachusetts, is the only American currently found to have been wrongfully detained in China, according to his wife and hostage advocates.Rong said the White House and State Department told her that Trump raised the issue of her husband’s detention with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a state visit to Beijing in May, and Xi promised to investigate the matter. But she said Beijing had not yet taken any action.Rong said in an interview that he was concerned that Beijing had decided to convict Chen of espionage even before his trial, a crime that in China could carry a sentence of up to life in prison or, in particularly serious cases, the death penalty.“I believe they will convict him anyway and the trial will be held behind closed doors,” Wing said. She is also a seismologist but is not involved in her husband’s work.Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday that China’s judicial authorities handled the case in accordance with the law and “there is no so-called wrongful detention.”Elizabeth Richards, director of hostage advocacy for the Foley Foundation, a hostage advocacy group that has been following Chen’s case, said the foundation believes Chen is one of at least 12 Americans unjustly imprisoned in China.Rong said U.S. embassy officials visited Chen several times, but Chinese officials were always present and prevented him from speaking freely.Former U.S. national security official Eric Lebson’s hostage advocacy group Global Reach is advising Chen’s family. He said he believed China wanted to use Chen’s expertise to improve its ability to hide underground nuclear weapons tests through a technique called “decoupling.”Laibson said Chen was employed by a U.S. government contractor and had never received a U.S. security clearance or performed classified work. Laibson said his research on seismic waves from North Korea’s test explosions was funded by the State Department and the Air Force Research Laboratory. He added that it was done in collaboration with Chinese academics and it used publicly available Chinese data and can be viewed on the internet.According to Wing and Laibson, Chen was arrested by Chinese state security agents at Beijing International Airport on November 5, 2024, as he prepared to fly to Boston after visiting family and lecturing on his work at two universities. He was charged with espionage on May 1, 2025, but has yet to stand trial.(Reuters)
