Image Source, Reuters
An American scientist specialized in seismic data and nuclear testing has been held in detention by China on espionage charges for nearly two years, according to his family.
According to Global Reach, an organization advocating for detainee rights, 54-year-old Chen Youlin was arrested in November 2024 when traveling to Beijing to meet his family. Chen has not been released or given any indication, prompting his family to speak out publicly.
Chen is a Chinese-American scientist recognized as an expert in detecting nuclear tests using seismic data.
His wife, Rang Yufang, is also a seismic scientist. She stated that Chen collaborated with Chinese scientists.
Rang insists that the charges against Chen are false and inconsistent with the transparent and cooperative nature of his research.
China’s Response
Chen’s published research has mostly focused on North Korean activities. North Korea, a close ally of China, has suffered long-term international sanctions due to its nuclear program and underground nuclear tests.
It remains unclear whether Chen’s research includes China’s nuclear program or the extent of its impact.
According to U.S. intelligence sources, China is believed to be developing and secretly testing new nuclear weapons, though Beijing denies these claims.
At a routine press conference on Tuesday, China’s Foreign Ministry stated that its “judicial authorities will handle the case in accordance with the law.”
“There is no alleged improper detention,” said Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.
In China, espionage convictions can result in life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Statements from Chen’s Wife
Chen is currently being treated merely as an “American citizen wrongfully detained.”
“I have not heard my husband’s voice for over 600 days. I am deeply concerned about his health and condition,” Rang said in a statement issued through Global Reach.
In an interview with Reuters, she revealed that Chinese authorities had interrogated Chen over 100 times, yet he has not been allowed to meet a lawyer after 13 months in detention.
More About Chen Youlin
Born in China, Chen became an American citizen in 2011 and resided in Boston, Massachusetts.
He specializes in analyzing seismic data to detect nuclear tests and had worked on several projects funded by the U.S. government.
Rang claims that all his collaborations have been transparent.
“He has been collaborating openly with the Chinese government’s approval between the public and scientists,” Rang added.
In December 2020, Chen worked on a project analyzing seismic data collected across Asia, including China, to improve nuclear test monitoring and assessment of blast capabilities.
Concerns in the United States
The U.S. government fears Chen’s arrest may signal that China is violating the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, Global Reach reported.
They suspect that Chen’s expertise could provide China with detailed knowledge of the U.S. seismic monitoring system and could facilitate strategies to breach the treaty.
The treaty aims to ban all types of nuclear tests worldwide, though many powerful nations have yet to ratify it.
The United States and China are among the nations that have voluntarily committed not to conduct explosive nuclear tests.
In June 2020, the Trump administration accused Beijing of conducting underground nuclear tests at the Lop Nur facility in northwest China.
China denied those accusations as unfounded and politically motivated.
Concerns Regarding Chen’s Condition
Foley Foundation, a U.S.-based human rights organization, expressed worry about Chen’s health, noting he suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
“He requires reliable medical care, which is unavailable due to unjust detention,” the group stated.
Senator Edward Markey, a Democratic senator from Massachusetts, commented that Beijing’s treatment of Chen undermines U.S.-China partnerships.
“It may discourage other scholars from collaborating with their Chinese colleagues,” he said.
“I hope the increased attention will pressure the Chinese government to take proper action and release Chen,” he added in a statement Tuesday.
The disclosure about Chen’s case followed the arrest of Min Jin, a director of a think tank studying Myanmar, just one month earlier.
Beijing accused Min Jin of espionage and posing a national security threat.
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