Three American citizens are returning to the US after years of detention in China, following a rare prisoner swap facilitated by Beijing and Washington.
On Thursday, Chinese officials revealed that the US had handed over four individuals in exchange for the prisoners, including three Chinese nationals reportedly detained for “political purposes” and one sought by China for alleged crimes.
The released Americans—Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung—had faced serious charges in China. Swidan had been sentenced to death on drug-related charges, while Li and Leung were imprisoned on espionage charges. The US government had labeled all three as “wrongfully detained.” “Soon they will return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years,” the White House said in a statement.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed that the three Chinese citizens had arrived in China and reiterated its opposition to “US suppression and persecution of Chinese nationals.”
The release comes a few months after the liberation of a California pastor who had spent nearly 20 years in Chinese prison for contract fraud. The issue of American detainees has long been a priority in US-China discussions, with President Joe Biden raising it with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a recent summit in Peru.
In response to the swap, the US State Department adjusted its travel warning for Americans planning to visit China. Senators from both major US political parties welcomed the news of the exchange.
