The White House announces the release of three Americans who were "wrongfully detained" in China.
Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung will return to the United States.
Three Americans who were "wrongfully detained" in China will be released on Wednesday, as confirmed by Planet Chronicle.
"The National Security Council spokesperson announced the release of Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung from detention in the People’s Republic of China. Soon, they will be reunited with their families for the first time in many years. Thanks to the efforts and diplomacy of this Administration, all wrongfully detained Americans in the PRC are now home."
In November 2012, Mark Swidan, a 38-year-old man from Texas, went to China on business to search for flooring for construction work. However, he was later arrested after his driver and translator were accused of possessing drugs, according to the Texas Tribune.
The United Nations report concluded that Swidan did not have drugs on him or in his hotel room, and records indicate he was not in China during the alleged offense.
The report from the U.N. stated that the 11 other individuals detained with Swidan as part of the suspected trafficking operation were unable to identify him, and the conviction was based on his visit to a factory that had previously produced methamphetamine.
Kai Li's son, Harrison Li, revealed to Planet Chronicle about a year ago that his father was held captive in China during a trip for his mother's memorial service.
Li stated that he was not permitted to disembark from the plane upon arrival at Shanghai Pudong Airport. Immediately after landing, Ministry of State Security agents escorted him away, and no one has been able to locate him outside of prison since then.
Li, a Chinese national, was held in China since September 2016 on charges of espionage and stealing state secrets.
He is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence at Shanghai's Qingpu Prison.
In 2023, Leung, a permanent resident of Hong Kong, was also sentenced on espionage charges, according to the BBC.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Planet Chronicle’ Kate Sprague and Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
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