ALBAWABA- In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, the Biden administration has negotiated the release of three American detainees from China: John Leung, Kai Li, and Mark Swidan.
The trio is en route to the United States, marking a rare prisoner swap involving the release of at least one Chinese national held in the U.S., according to senior officials.
Sean Savett, a National Security Council spokesperson, expressed optimism, stating, “Soon they will return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years.”
Among the freed Americans is John Leung, a former FBI informant who had secretly provided intelligence for years. Despite warnings from his FBI contacts, Leung traveled to China in 2021, where he was arrested and later sentenced to life imprisonment on espionage charges.
His detention highlights Beijing’s harsh stance against perceived foreign interference.
The negotiations reportedly included discussions about Xu Yanjun, a Chinese intelligence officer convicted in the U.S., though details on the swap remain undisclosed.
Experts suggest the exchange signals China's willingness to ease tensions. John Kamm, founder of the Dui Hua Foundation, noted the move could be seen as a gesture to both the Biden administration and potential overtures to former President Donald Trump.
