American seismologist Chen Youlin was arrested in China, and his wife said Trump would ask Xi Jinping for his release
Quick Look
- Chen Youlin's wife Rong Yufang revealed that the White House promised that Trump would request the release of her husband during his meeting with Xi Jinping.
- Chen Youlin, a seismologist employed by a U.S. government contractor, has been imprisoned for nearly two years on espionage charges in China for monitoring North Korea's nuclear tests.
- Another American citizen who was arrested, Min Xin, is a scholar on Myanmar issues.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Chen Youlin is a seismologist employed by U.S. government contractor EMR Solutions & Technology, whose work includes monitoring shock waves generated by North Korea's underground nuclear tests, with expenses provided by the U.S. State Department and the Air Force Research Laboratory. He was naturalized in the United States in 2011. He was arrested by Chinese national security personnel at Beijing Capital International Airport in November 2024 and charged with espionage.
(德国之声中文网)研究朝鲜核试验、在中国被捕的美籍人士陈友麟的妻子、地震学家荣玉仿周二(9月22日)告诉路透社,白宫向她许诺,特朗普总统与中国领导人习近平会晤时,会提出北京释放她丈夫的要求。
陈友麟的妻子荣玉仿表示,丈夫已被中方关押近两年,期间以间谍罪受到起诉,她担心北京会以这个捏造的罪名,审判出生于中国的陈友麟。
荣玉仿对路透社说,她在周二与美国国务院及国家安全委员会官员进行了会晤,期间得知,特朗普会向习近平提出释放她丈夫的要求。荣玉仿还告知,特朗普曾在5月访问北京期间,向习近平提及陈友麟案件,但未能促成释放行动。
一位不愿透露姓名的美国高级官员在谈及敏感问题时表示,“解决美国公民被错误拘押的问题,始终是总统的首要任务”。
陈友麟现年54岁,是被关押在中国的两名美国人之一。美国早些时候已将这两人的案件,定性为“错误拘押”,将他们获释作为重点考量。另一名被关押的美国公民是敏辛(Min Zin),他于6月被捕。敏辛是缅甸问题研究学者。
谁是陈友麟?
陈友麟是一名地震学家,受雇于美国政府的承包商EMR Solutions & Technology,今年7月路透社披露了他被拘押的消息。他的工作包括,监测朝鲜地下核试验产生的冲击波,费用来源于美国国务院和美国空军研究实验室。
据法新社援引荣玉仿报道,陈友麟与世界各地的科学家、包括中国的科学家都有过合作。荣玉仿说,“他能利用数据,判断地下发生的,究竟是自然地震还是核爆炸。而且,他还能运用自己的方法估算核爆炸的当量”,她推测,北京方面盯上陈友麟,可能是因为他具备这方面的专业知识。
陈友麟于1998年前往美国深造,2011年入籍成为美国公民,定居在波士顿地区。 2024年在探亲的同时,陈友麟也在中国两所大学进行讲学,11月5日乘机回国前,在北京首都国际机场被中国国家安全人员逮捕。
据荣玉仿讲述,从那以后,美国大使馆官员获准每月一次探视陈友麟,每次约30分钟,全程有中国官员在场监督。
中国外交部此前通过发言人多次强调,中国是法治国家,中国司法机关依法处理案件,“不存在所谓错误拘押的情况”。
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Trump will demand the release of Chen Youlin during his meeting with Xi Jinping
Likely · Within weeks
The Chen Youlin case will become a bargaining chip in Sino-US negotiations on human rights and scientific cooperation
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- What is the specific evidence of Chen Youlin’s espionage crime?
- What is the progress of the trial of his case by the Chinese judicial authorities?
- When exactly will Trump and Xi Jinping meet?
- What are the details of the case of another arrested American citizen, Min Xin?







