China releases three ‘wrongfully detained’ Americans

Thursday, November 28, 2024 - Three Americans who had been detained in China for years were released as part of a prisoner exchange between Washington and Beijing, the White House announced on Wednesday, November 27.

The freed individuals—Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung—are now in U.S. custody and will soon be reunited with their families.

A spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council confirmed the development, stating, “Thanks to this administration’s efforts and diplomacy with the PRC, all of the wrongfully detained Americans in the PRC are home.” The exchange involved unidentified Chinese nationals, and it marks a significant diplomatic breakthrough following years of negotiations by the Biden administration.

Kai Li and Mark Swidan had previously been designated as wrongfully detained by the U.S. State Department. Their release comes after years of advocacy from their families and concerted diplomatic engagement by senior officials, including President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

Swidan was detained in 2012 on drug-related charges and sentenced to death in 2019, though his case drew widespread condemnation from human rights advocates. His mother, Katherine Swidan, had long expressed fears that her son might not survive his detention, citing reports of physical and psychological abuse.

Kai Li, a Chinese-American, was detained in 2016 and sentenced to ten years in prison on espionage charges. His son, Harrison Li, had been a vocal advocate for his father’s release, frequently visiting Washington to appeal to lawmakers. In 2023, he expressed fears that his father might never return alive, describing the situation as "quite scary."

John Leung, detained in 2021 and sentenced to life in prison on spying charges in 2023, was also among those released. Leung had been a veteran leader of several pro-Beijing organizations in the U.S. and maintained connections with senior Chinese officials.

The release comes just months after another American, David Lin, was freed from Chinese detention in September. However, Lin's release was kept quiet to avoid jeopardizing ongoing negotiations.

This latest exchange underscores the Biden administration's broader efforts to secure the release of wrongfully detained Americans worldwide. While the specifics of the deal remain undisclosed, the successful negotiation has been met with relief from the detainees' families and marks a notable diplomatic achievement.

China’s embassy in Washington declined to comment on the matter. Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department announced a reduction in its travel advisory for China to Level 2, urging travelers to "exercise increased caution."