An American seismologist, Youlin Chen, has been detained in China on espionage charges since November 5, 2024, according to his family and the NGO Global Reach.
Advocates for his release suggest that Chen's expertise in detecting underground nuclear tests may be exploited by the Chinese government.
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Allegations of Nuclear Test Monitoring
The Global Reach organization indicated that Chen's arrest might be correlated with allegations from the US government that China has conducted underground nuclear tests in violation of international treaties.
They stated that Chen's area of expertise – seismic monitoring and detection of underground nuclear tests – would give the Chinese government an opportunity to learn about US seismic detection methodologies.
This knowledge could allow China to establish countermeasures to circumvent the treaty, Global Reach said.
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In March, the US government formally declared Chen as “wrongfully detained,” although his family withheld this information in hopes of aiding negotiations for his release.
Eric Lebson, chief strategy officer of Global Reach, noted that during a state visit to China in May, former President Donald Trump urged Xi Jinping to release Chen, and the Chinese president reportedly agreed to address the issue.
Lebson expressed concern over the lack of progress, stating that the Chinese have made no apparent movement on releasing Chen since the May commitment.
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Youlin Chen, an American seismologist, has been detained in China since November 2024 on espionage charges, raising concerns over his health.
