Key facts
- US seismologist Chen Youlin has been detained in China for nearly two years on espionage charges.
- Chen was arrested in November 2024 during a trip to Beijing.
- His wife stated he was interrogated more than 100 times and denied a lawyer for 13 months.
- China's foreign ministry stated its judicial authorities handle cases in accordance with the law.
- Chen specializes in using seismological data to track nuclear tests, including those of North Korea.
China has detained a US seismologist, Chen Youlin, for nearly two years on espionage charges, his family revealed. Chen, 54, was arrested in November 2024 while visiting family in Beijing. His wife, Rong Yufang, also a seismologist, stated that Chen worked closely with Chinese colleagues and that the allegations are incorrect and inconsistent with the collaborative nature of his work.
Chen, who became a US citizen in 2011, specializes in using seismological data to identify nuclear tests, with a focus on North Korea. His published work has been funded by the US government. Rong Yufang said Chinese authorities interrogated her husband more than 100 times and that he was denied access to a lawyer for the first 13 months of his detention. She expressed concern for his health and well-being, noting he has not been able to speak with him for over 600 days.
China's foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian stated that judicial authorities handle cases in accordance with the law and denied any wrongful detention. Espionage convictions in China can lead to life imprisonment or death. Chen is reportedly the only US citizen currently designated as "wrongfully detained."
Advocacy groups like Global Reach and the Foley Foundation have raised concerns about Chen's health, citing pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. US Senator Edward Markey has called for Chen's release, stating that Beijing's treatment of him undermines US-China partnership and may deter academic engagement.
Details of Chen's detention emerged a month after China confirmed the arrest of another US scholar, Min Zin, on spying charges. US intelligence suggests China is developing a new arsenal and has conducted secret tests, which Beijing denies. Chen's expertise could potentially allow China to learn about US seismic detection methods to circumvent the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which neither the US nor China has ratified.