Chinese court sentences US citizen to life in prison for espionage
A court in China has sentenced a 78-year-old US citizen to life in prison for spying.
The Intermediate People’s Court in the eastern city of Suzhou, Jiangsu province, convicted John Shing-Wan Leung of espionage on Monday.
The US citizen “was found guilty of espionage, sentenced to life imprisonment [and] deprived of political rights for life,” according to a statement by the court posted on the WeChat social media platform.
Leung is also a permanent Hong Kong resident. He was detained in 2021 by state security authorities in Suzhou. The detention took place at a time when China had closed its borders and imposed tight domestic travel restrictions to fight the spread of COVID-19.
Chinese media or authorities had not disclosed any information on Leung’s detention or the court process that led to his conviction.
The US Embassy in Beijing told CNN in a statement on Monday that it was aware of reports of Leung’s sentencing.
“The Department of State has no greater priority than the safety and security of US citizens overseas. Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment,” a spokesperson for the Embassy said.
Hong Kong Secretary of Security Chris Tang also said at a press conference he was notified by Chinese authorities of the arrest of Leung in mid-April 2021.
Relations between China and the United States currently stand at their lowest point in fifty years. Principal matters of contention are trade, technology, and military supremacy.
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