A National Security Council spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday that China was releasing three Americans who were “wrongfully detained ” and that the three U. S. people were returning to the region.
“We are pleased to announce the release of Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung from confinement in the People’s Republic of China, ” a National Security Council director said, according to Fox News. “Soon they may return and be reunited with their families for the first time in several years. Owing to this Administration’s work and politics with the PRC, all of the unjustly detained Americans in the PRC are home. ”
According to NBC News, 70-year-old Li was detained in China in 2016 and sentenced in 2018 to 10 times over spy costs. The outlet noted that Li’s community has denied the spy claims China brought against him.
NBC News reported that Swidan is a Texas business in his 40s who has been detained in China since 2012. The Texas merchant was sentenced to death with a break in 2019 following a disputed drug-related judgment.
According to NBC News, Leung is an American citizen over 70 years old who also has a continuous citizenship in Hong Kong. Leung was sentenced to life in prison last year after being convicted of spying.
NBC News even reported that a senior U. S. national confirmed that China had released the three U. S. people and that the Americans were carefully in U. S. captivity and flying back to the United States on Wednesday.
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According to NBC News, a U. S. standard indicated that the transfer of the three U. S. people was part of prisoner swap in trade for Ji Chaoqun, a Taiwanese national, and Xu Yanjun, a Foreign Ministry of State Security agent. The outlet noted that Chaoqun was arrested and charged for spying on behalf of China, while Yanjun was was arrested for reportedly attempting to steal from GE Aviation.
In a statement obtained by Fox News, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas ) celebrated the release of the three American citizens from China.
“ I am overjoyed that Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung have been released and are returning to their communities. I could not be happier for Mark’s family Katherine Swidan, who from her residence in Luling, Texas, has spent 12 times waging an unceasing struggle to maintain Mark’s release and create now a reality, ” Cruz said. “President Biden, Secretary of State Blinken, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Carstens, Ambassador Burns, and their team have for decades worked hard to safe this success, and I am deeply thankful for all their attempts. ”
