A U.S. seismologist who specializes in monitoring nuclear tests has been detained in China for nearly two years on espionage charges, his family announced. Chen Youlin, 54, was arrested in November 2024 while visiting family in Beijing.
His wife, Rong Yufang, also a seismologist, stated that the espionage allegations are unfounded and inconsistent with the public and collaborative nature of Chen's work. Chen's research primarily focused on North Korea's nuclear tests. It remains unclear if his work involved China's own nuclear program, which U.S. intelligence suggests is undergoing development and has involved secret tests, claims that Beijing denies.
"I have not been able to speak with my husband for over 600 days and am concerned for his health and well-being," Rong said in a statement provided by Global Reach, a hostage advocacy group. She also stated that Chinese authorities interrogated Chen more than 100 times regarding his work and that he was denied access to legal counsel for the first 13 months of his detention.
Chen, who became a U.S. citizen in 2011 and resides in Boston, Massachusetts, specialized in analyzing seismological data to identify nuclear tests. His work included U.S. government-funded projects. Rong emphasized that his collaborations with Chinese colleagues were always transparent.
Global Reach suggested that Chen's arrest may have been motivated by China's alleged nuclear tests in violation of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. The group posited that China could seek to learn about U.S. seismic detection methods through Chen's expertise to circumvent the treaty.
In response to inquiries about the case, China's foreign ministry stated that its judicial authorities handle cases in accordance with the law, with spokesman Lin Jian asserting there is no such thing as wrongful detention. Espionage convictions in China can result in life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Chen is currently the only U.S. citizen officially designated as being "wrongfully detained" by China. The Foley Foundation, another U.S.-based advocacy group, highlighted concerns about Chen's health, noting he suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, and requires consistent medical care.
U.S. Senator Edward Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts, commented that China's treatment of Chen has damaged U.S.-China relations and could discourage future academic collaboration. He expressed hope that increased attention would lead to Chen's release.
The details of Chen's detention emerged approximately one month after China confirmed the arrest of another U.S. scholar, Min Zin, director of a Myanmar-focused think tank, on charges of spying and endangering national security.