Reuters: US seismologist held in China faces espionage trial

A Chinese-born U.S. seismologist, Youlin Chen, has been detained in China for nearly two years and is facing espionage charges, Reuters reports, quoting his family, U.S. officials and advocacy groups.

Chen, 54, a U.S. citizen since 2011 who lives in Boston, was arrested by Chinese state security officers on November 5, 2024, at Beijing International Airport as he prepared to return home after visiting family and giving academic lectures.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated Chen as “wrongfully detained” on March 19, elevating his case as a priority for Washington. A U.S. official said the administration was “focused on gaining his release from his unjustifiable detention.”

Chen’s wife, Yufang Rong, said President Donald Trump raised the case with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit to Beijing in May, though there has been no apparent progress. She expressed concern that her husband may be convicted regardless of the trial outcome, which she believes could be held behind closed doors. “I believe they will convict him no matter what, and the trial will be behind closed doors,” she said.

China’s foreign ministry rejected the characterisation, saying cases are handled according to law and “there is no so-called wrongful detention.”

Chen is accused of espionage linked to his research on detecting nuclear tests, including work on North Korea’s seismic signatures funded by U.S. government agencies. Advocates say his research relied on publicly available data and involved collaboration with Chinese academics.

His wife said Chinese authorities have interrogated him more than 100 times and that his health has deteriorated in detention, with significant weight loss and limited access to adequate food and medication.

He was formally charged on May 1, 2025, but has yet to stand trial. His case adds strain to U.S.-China relations and could resurface during an expected visit by Xi to Washington in September.

By Tamilla Hasanova