Three Americans, Including Former FBI Informant, Released in Prisoner Swap with China
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The Biden administration has secured the release of three American citizens detained in China through a negotiated prisoner exchange, according to senior U.S. officials. The individuals, identified as John Leung, Kai Li, and Mark Swidan, were reportedly en route to the United States as of Wednesday morning.
Sean Savett, spokesperson for the National Security Council, confirmed their release, stating, “Soon they will return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years.”
Among the released individuals, John Leung, known for his pro-Beijing stance, had previously cooperated with the FBI as an informant. Leung supported China’s claims over Taiwan and actively engaged in activities promoting U.S.-China relations. Despite warnings from his FBI contacts to avoid traveling to China in 2021, Leung was arrested by Chinese authorities and held at an undisclosed location. In 2023, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for espionage—the first American to receive such a sentence in China.
The prisoner swap, which had been under negotiation for several months, reportedly includes the release of at least one Chinese national detained in the United States. Although the exact terms of the exchange remain unclear, discussions included the potential release of Xu Yanjun, a Chinese intelligence officer previously convicted in the U.S. for espionage. Xu’s current status was not specified in the Bureau of Prisons records, raising speculation about his involvement in the swap.
Xu was the first Chinese intelligence official extradited to the U.S. for trial, marking a significant moment in counterintelligence history, according to the Justice Department.
Commenting on the unusual nature of the exchange, John Kamm, founder of the Dui Hua Foundation, suggested that the move could be both a gesture of goodwill toward President Biden and a strategic message to former President Trump, signaling potential concessions in future dealings.
