A U.S. seismologist held in China, Youlin Chen, has been told by his wife that President Donald Trump will ask Chinese leader Xi Jinping to secure his release when the two meet this week. Yufang Rong, who is married to Chen, says she was assured by White House officials during a Tuesday meeting that Trump will directly raise the case.
Rong says she fears Beijing may try Chen on fabricated espionage charges despite her husband’s research being published openly and carried out using publicly available data in collaboration with Chinese scientists. Chen, 54, is one of two Americans Beijing holds that the United States has designated as “wrongfully detained.” The other is Min Zin. Trump’s upcoming encounter with Xi is described as the leaders’ second meeting since May, amid broader tensions spanning trade and other international issues.
While the outlets agree on the core claim—that Trump is expected to raise Chen’s case—the coverage is limited, with both sources focusing primarily on Rong’s account of discussions in Washington rather than providing independent details on the evidence or status of any potential charges in China.
