Earthquake research or espionage? US scientist stuck in Chinese jail for two years now faces spy trial
A Chinese-born American seismologist who carried out US-funded research on detecting North Korean nuclear tests has been detained in China for nearly two years and
A Chinese-born American seismologist who carried out US-funded research on detecting North Korean nuclear tests has been detained in China for nearly two years and is awaiting trial on espionage charges, Reuters reported, citing his wife, US lawmakers and hostage advocacy groups. The case of Youlin Chen, 54, has emerged as another point of tension in already strained US-China relations, even as both countries seek to stabilise ties following last year's trade disputes. Chen, who became a US citizen in 2011 and lives in Boston, Massachusetts, has been officially designated as "wrongfully detained" by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The designation, made in March, elevates his release as a top US diplomatic priority. However, the Trump administration has not publicly announced the designation, reportedly to preserve room for high-level negotiations with Beijing.
According to Chen's wife, Yufang Rong, President Donald Trump personally raised the case with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit to Beijing in May. She said Xi promised to look into the matter, but no progress has been made since then. A US official familiar with the case told Reuters that Washington remains focused on securing Chen's release, while describing his detention as unjustified. Rong fears Chinese authorities have already decided to convict her husband regardless of the evidence. Under Chinese law, espionage convictions can carry severe penalties, including life imprisonment or, in particularly serious cases, the death penalty. China has rejected claims that Chen is being wrongfully detained. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Chinese judicial authorities handle cases according to law and denied the existence of what he described as "so-called wrongful detention." Questioned extensively over nuclear test research According to Reuters, Chinese investigators have interrogated Chen more than 100 times about his research into the seismic signatures of North Korea's underground nuclear tests.
His wife said US embassy officials have visited him several times in detention, but Chinese officials have remained present during those meetings, preventing private conversations. She also said Chen was unable to meet a lawyer until more than a year after his detention began. Hostage advocacy groups believe Chinese authorities may be interested in Chen's scientific expertise. Eric Lebson, a former US national security official advising Chen's family, suggested investigators may be attempting to learn more about techniques used to detect concealed underground nuclear tests. Chen's published research examined how seismic waves generated by North Korean nuclear explosions could be distinguished from natural earthquakes. According to Reuters, the work was funded by the US State Department and the Air Force Research Laboratory, conducted using publicly available Chinese data and approved for public release.
The BriefWire