American seismologist Youlin Chen has been detained in China on espionage charges for more than 18 months, adding fresh strain to US-China relations, reported by CNN.
According to US Senator Edward Markey and the nonprofit Global Reach, Chen has been held since November 2024 after being detained at a Beijing airport while visiting his parents.
The report said Chen specializes in monitoring underground nuclear tests using seismic data. His research, funded by the US State Department and the US Air Force Research Laboratory, has focused on detecting nuclear tests, including those conducted by North Korea.
China has denied that Chen was wrongfully detained, saying its judicial authorities are handling the case according to law.
Chen's family rejects the espionage allegations, saying his work was transparent and collaborative. His wife said she has not spoken to him for more than 600 days and remains deeply concerned about his health.
Related Tweet:
China hält bereits seit Monaten einen US-Seismologen unter Spionagevorwürfen in Gefangenschaft, nun macht dessen Familie den Fall publik. Im Hintergrund wird derweil offenbar längst auf höchster Ebene verhandelt. https://t.co/3UFtw7InUJ
— DER SPIEGEL (@derspiegel) July 15, 2026
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