China has detained Chen Youlin, a 54-year-old US seismologist who tracks nuclear tests, on espionage charges for nearly two years, according to his family and the hostage advocacy group Global Reach. Chen was arrested in November 2024 during a trip to Beijing to visit family.

Chen's wife, Rong Yufang, also a seismologist, stated that he worked closely with Chinese colleagues and described the allegations as "both wrong and inconsistent with the public and collaborative nature of the work that he has done." She expressed concern for his health and well-being, noting she has not been able to speak with him for over 600 days. In an interview with Reuters, Rong said Chinese authorities interrogated Chen more than 100 times about his work and that he was denied access to a lawyer for the first 13 months of his detention.

Chen's research primarily focuses on North Korea, a close ally of China, which has been under long-standing sanctions for its nuclear weapons program and underground tests. Notably, during Donald Trump's presidency in June 2020, the US administration accused Beijing of conducting a covert underground nuclear test at the Lop Nur facility in northwest China.

China's foreign ministry responded to inquiries about the case by stating that its "judicial authorities handle cases in accordance with the law." Ministry spokesman Lin Jian asserted, "There is no such thing as so-called wrongful detention."

The family has spoken out after seeing no indication that Beijing plans to release Chen.

Sources