Three Americans who had been detained in China for years have been released, according to the White House.
Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung are now free and will soon reunite with their families.
The Biden administration has been actively advocating for the release of wrongfully detained Americans, with President Biden discussing the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November.
Additionally, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan raised the matter in recent talks with Chinese officials.
Mark Swidan, a Texas businessman, had been detained in China since 2012, initially facing narcotics trafficking charges and later sentenced to death. He had always denied the charges, which the U.S. government has called unfounded.
Li, 60, was held in China since 2016 and suffered a stroke while imprisoned. Leung, 78, was arrested in 2021 and sentenced to life for espionage in 2023, although details of his case remain limited.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised President Biden’s personal involvement in securing the releases, noting the significant relief for the families of those freed.
The release follows that of David Lin, an American pastor imprisoned in China for 18 years, who was freed in September.
