China and the United States agree on prisoner swap – DW – 11/27/2024

The White House announced this Wednesday (11/27/2024) an agreement for the release of three Americans detained in China in a prisoner exchange, after complex diplomatic efforts. These are the last prisoners declared by the State Department to be unjustly detained in China, although activists and relatives say there are other cases.

A spokesperson for National said, “We are pleased to announce the release of Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung from detention in the People’s Republic of China. They will soon be reunited with their families for the first time in many years ” Security Council. In exchange, the United States will release three unidentified Chinese prisoners in its custody.

President Joe Biden lobbied Chinese President Xi Jinping in their third bilateral meeting held in Lima on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit this month, according to US officials. “Thanks to this administration’s efforts and diplomacy with the People’s Republic of China, all unjustly detained Americans have come home,” one official said.

priority issue

During Biden’s term, which ends in January, Washington has placed the issue of US detainees at the top of the bilateral agenda with Beijing and in August White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan discussed the matter with his Chinese counterparts during an Asian visit. Had worked with. Country. In September, the United States secured the release of Pastor David Lin, another civilian believed to have been unjustly detained since 2006.

The Swede was arrested on drug charges in late 2012 while on a business trip to China. His family and those supporting him say there was never any evidence against him and it was his driver and his interpreter who accused him. Leung, 78, is serving a life sentence on espionage charges, while Li has been imprisoned in China since 2016.

DZC (EFE, AFP)