US seismologist detained in China for nearly 2 years on spying charges: Family

An American seismologist, Youlin Chen, born in China, has been held in detention in China for almost two years, facing espionage charges. His wife, Yufang Rong, along with US lawmakers and hostage advocacy groups, revealed his situation. Chen, a US citizen residing in Boston, Massachusetts, is the sole American in China designated as "wrongfully detained" by the US government.

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I believe they will convict him no matter what and the trial will be behind closed doors.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio officially designated Chen as "wrongfully detained" on March 19, elevating his release to a top US priority. The Trump administration has intentionally delayed a public announcement to create space for high-level diplomatic efforts aimed at securing Chen's freedom, according to Rong. A US source familiar with the case confirmed the administration's focus on his release from "unjustifiable detention."

Rong expressed deep concern that Beijing might pre-judge her husband's guilt, even before a trial, for espionage, a crime punishable by life imprisonment or even death in severe cases. "I believe they will convict him no matter what and the trial will be behind closed doors," she stated. However, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian asserted on Tuesday that China's judicial organs operate lawfully and there is "no so-called wrongful detention."

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China's judicial organs handle cases according to the law and "there is no so-called wrongful detention."

Eric Lebson, a former US national security official advising the family, suggested China might seek to exploit Chen's expertise to enhance its capabilities in detecting underground nuclear weapons tests using decoupling techniques. Lebson clarified that Chen works for a US government contractor, has never held a US security clearance, nor performed classified work. His research on North Korean seismic waves from test blasts was funded by the State Department and the Air Force.

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The administration was "focused on gaining his release from his unjustifiable detention."