Last week when National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi in Vienna, following a prior canceled meeting due to the spy balloon shootdown drama of early February which set off a firestorm of angry accusations between Beijing and Washington, the US side reportedly voiced concerns over American citizens held in Chinese prisons.
On Monday a Chinese court "answered" Washington's complaints over detained Americans, sentencing a 78-year-old US citizen to life in prison for alleged spying.
Little is known of the American, John Shing-Wan Leung, who holds permanent residency in Hong Kong. China’s counterintelligence agency arrested him on April 15, 2021 in the southeastern city of Suzhou.
His plight was made worse in terms of the prospect of US consular contact or representation given the detention had happened at a moment China was under strict Covid-19 lockdown, with borders closed.
Leung had a lengthy pre-trial detention, which is not uncommon for cases involving charges of espionage. But the details of what precisely the Chinese state is alleging have not emerged. CNN reviews based on scant government and court statements--
The court also confiscated personal property worth 500,000 yuan ($71,797), the statement added.
Chinese authorities and state media have not previously disclosed any information on Leung’s detention or the court process that led to his conviction. Cases involving state security are usually strictly handled behind closed doors, where the judicial system has a conviction rate of around 99%, according to legal observers.
And the US Embassy in Beijing had nothing to say other than it was "aware" of reports of the life sentence. "The Department of State has no greater priority than the safety and security of US citizens overseas. Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment," a statement said.
As NBC notes, the worsened US-China relations of late have led to a climate of fear for foreign and Western firms operating in China:
Chinese national security agencies have also raided the offices of foreign business consulting firms in Beijing and other cities as part of an ongoing crackdown on foreign businesses that provide sensitive economic data.
Foreign companies operating in China have come under increasing pressure as Xi Jinping’s government tightens control over the economy. That stands in stark contrast to efforts to lure back foreign investors after draconian Covid-19 pandemic restrictions were lifted at the beginning of the year.
A number of foreigners, including from Japan and Canada, have recently been detained by Chinese authorities related to suspicion of spying. Chinese law also looks to only get more draconian, given last month already sweeping counter-espionage laws were expanded further. Likely more Westerners will eventually fall under this crackdown dragnet as the pressure ratchets.
