US, China agree on prisoner exchange, securing release of three Americans

The Biden administration has successfully brokered the release of three American citizens-Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung - after a prisoner swap with China.

The deal, involving the exchange of the Americans for unidentified Chinese nationals held in US custody, is the result of extensive negotiations between US and Chinese officials, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Swidan, a Texas native, was arrested in 2012 and sentenced to death in 2020 for alleged drug trafficking, despite claims of insufficient evidence. Li, a New York resident, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for alleged espionage in 2018, while Leung, a former US intelligence contractor, had been serving a life sentence since 2023 on espionage charges. 

Their releases come after years of behind-the-scenes diplomatic work, with significant push from the White House and US diplomats such as National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

This marks the latest in a series of prisoner swaps brokered by the US government, which has secured the release of more than 70 Americans from countries including Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. The move follows a similar deal earlier this year, when US citizen David Lin was freed from China.

The exchange may also provide Beijing with an opportunity to reduce tensions, particularly with regard to the US travel advisory urging Americans to “reconsider travel” to China, citing concerns over arbitrary detentions.

There are hopes that the deal could pave the way for further releases of American detainees in China, with estimates suggesting that hundreds of US citizens may be unjustly detained or subject to exit bans in the country.

However, critics argue that such swaps may embolden autocratic regimes to take more hostages in the future.

By Aghakazim Guliyev