China has released U.S. citizens Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung, all designated earlier by Washington as wrongfully detained, marking the culmination of years of diplomatic negotiations, the White House announced on Wednesday.
Their release signals a significant development in U.S.-China relations amid broader efforts to reduce bilateral tensions.
The Americans were released in exchange for unidentified Chinese nationals and are now in US custody, an official said.
The National Security Council stated that with this release, no Americans deemed wrongfully detained by the U.S. government remain in Chinese custody. “Soon, they will return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years,” the statement said.
The Biden administration also announced an adjustment to its travel advisory for China, a change Beijing had sought for some time. The revised advisory lowered the warning level from “reconsider travel” (Level 3) to “exercise increased caution” (Level 2), though it still highlights the risk of detentions and lack of legal transparency for Americans in China.
The Detainees’ Cases
Mark Swidan, a businessman from Texas, was arrested in China in 2012 and sentenced to death with reprieve in 2019 on drug charges that U.S. officials said lacked credible evidence. Kai Li, a Chinese-American, was detained in 2016 on espionage charges, which he denied, while John Leung, accused of spying, was sentenced to life imprisonment earlier this year.
Efforts to secure their release included years of dialogue between senior U.S. officials and their Chinese counterparts. President Joe Biden reportedly raised the issue directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting at a regional summit in Peru earlier this month.
Travel Advisory Changes Linked to Detentions
The release coincided with an upgrade to the U.S. travel advisory for China. The previous advisory, issued in 2022, had warned Americans about the risk of being detained and used as leverage in political disputes. U.S. officials had tied any improvement in the travel guidance to addressing the detentions of American citizens.
Despite the lowered warning, the advisory continues to caution U.S. travelers about potential risks in China, including detention and interrogation without transparent legal processes.
Diplomatic Context and Broader Implications
The release follows China’s September decision to free David Lin, a U.S. pastor imprisoned since 2006. While U.S. officials declined to confirm whether any prisoner exchanges were involved, Politico reported that the latest releases included an agreement to return some Chinese citizens detained in the U.S.
This development comes amid renewed efforts by both nations to stabilize their strained relationship. Recent engagements between Biden and Xi have aimed to identify areas for cooperation while managing ongoing security and trade disputes.
As Biden’s term approaches its end, his administration has overseen the release of over 70 Americans detained overseas, leveraging diplomatic channels and, in some cases, negotiating prisoner swaps.
However, with former President Donald Trump signaling a more confrontational approach toward China, the durability of this cooperative momentum remains uncertain.
(With inputs from Reuters)
