US and China reach agreement to release prisoners

(CLO) The White House said on Wednesday (November 27) that the United States and China have reached an agreement to release three Americans who have been detained in China.

Multiple US news agencies, citing US officials, reported that the deal involved the release of at least one Chinese prisoner.

The Americans released were Mark Swidan, John Leung and Kai Li. Swidan, who had been detained since 2012, was facing the death penalty on drug charges, while Leung and Li were charged with espionage.

Photo: GI

“They will soon be returning home and reuniting with their families for the first time in many years,” the White House said, adding that no Americans were “wrongfully detained” in China anymore.

While the White House has refused to confirm whether the US released anyone in exchange, documents on the US Justice Department website show that three Chinese nationals were pardoned by President Joe Biden on November 22.

The release announcement came as the US State Department eased its travel warning for US citizens traveling to mainland China.

The travel advisory for mainland China, now at Level 2, advises Americans to “exercise increased caution” rather than “reconsider travel” under the previous Level 3 level.

The Chinese Embassy in the US responded to the above information by saying: "We hope that the US side will continue to take positive measures to cooperate with China to promote people-to-people exchanges."

Hoang Anh (according to SCMP, AP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/my-va-trung-quoc-dat-thoa-thuan-tra-tu-do-cho-tu-nhan-post323236.html