The wife of an American seismologist who has been held in China for nearly two years is urging the Trump administration to help bring him home.
The family of Youlin Chen, from Boston, broke their silence this week, a few months before Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit the U.S.
They apparently seen no indication from the Chinese government that it intended to release Chen, a China-born American. This comes despite President Donald Trump raising the case directly with Xi during a meeting in Beijing in May, according to Global Reach, a Washington-based nonprofit assisting Americans wrongly detained abroad.
“I have not been able to speak with my husband for over 600 days and am concerned for his health and well-being,” Chen’s wife, Yufang Rong said through Global Reach. “President Trump has taken a personal interest in freeing Youlin. Since taking office, he has already freed 106 people and I know that he and his team will bring Youlin home to us.”
Global Reach identifies Chen as the sole U.S. citizen designated by the State Department as wrongfully detained in China. This classification signals a high-priority case for the U.S. government, often leading to intense diplomatic efforts to secure release.
“President Trump has been clear that he wants every American detained abroad to return home, and he has reunited over 100 individuals with their families since taking office this term,” Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson, commented on Chen’s situation.
Eric Lebson, a Global Reach adviser to Chen’s relatives, warned that if unresolved, Chen’s case could “figure prominently” when Xi is anticipated to meet Trump in Washington in September. The family chose to speak out now because Chinese officials do not appear to be acting on Xi’s commitment to Trump after the U.S. president raised Chen’s detention in May, Lebson explained.
The seismologist was detained in November 2024 by state security agents during a personal trip to visit his parents in Beijing and has since been charged with espionage, Global Reach reported.
Chen previously worked as a U.S. government contractor for the State Department and Air Force Research Lab, with much of his work involving collaboration with Chinese colleagues on seismological data analysis, Global Reach noted.
The group suggested Chen’s arrest is “likely an effort by Chinese officials to learn about the techniques the U.S. uses to detect nuclear tests using seismic data.”
U.S. Embassy personnel have been permitted to visit Chen multiple times but are not allowed to discuss the specifics of his case with him, the group added.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated Chen as a wrongful detainee in March. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.