78-Year-Old US Citizen Sentenced to Life in Prison in China, Straining US-China Relations

On Monday, a 78-year-old United States citizen was sentenced to life in prison in China on spying charges. The case could further strain the already deteriorating relations between China and the United States.

The man, identified as Leung, was detained on April 15, 2021, by the local bureau of China’s counterintelligence agency in the southeastern city of Suzhou. This was according to a statement posted by the city’s intermediate court on its social media site.

Leung’s detention came at a time when China had closed its borders and imposed tight domestic travel restrictions and social controls to fight the spread of COVID-19. Such investigations and trials are held behind closed doors, and little information is available about the case.

The sentencing of Leung could further worsen the already strained relations between China and the United States. In recent years, the two countries have been at odds over a range of issues, including trade, human rights, and the South China Sea.

The United States has yet to comment on the case. It is unclear if the US government will take any action in response to the sentencing.