US secures release of 3 Americans in prisoner swap with China

CNN —

Three Americans who had been detained in China for years have been released in a prisoner swap between Washington and Beijing.

“We are pleased to announce the release of Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung from detention in the People’s Republic of China,” a US National Security Council spokesperson told CNN on Wednesday. “Soon they will return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years.”

The Americans were released in exchange for unidentified Chinese nationals and are now in US custody, according to a US official. On Wednesday, the US also lowered its travel advisory level to Level 2: Exercise increased caution for mainland China. Politico first reported the release of the Americans.

“Thanks to this Administration’s efforts and diplomacy with the PRC, all of the wrongfully detained Americans in the PRC are home,” the spokesperson said Wednesday.

Li and Swidan had been designated as wrongfully detained by the US State Department.

Their release takes place fewer than two months before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. It follows years of quiet diplomatic efforts by the Biden administration, with President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan and other US officials engaging with their counterparts on the matter.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington declined to comment for this story.

In a statement Wednesday evening, Kai Li’s son, Harrison Li, said his family “enthusiastically welcomes the news that Kai has been released from captivity after just over 3,000 days of wrongful detention.”

“We express our deepest gratitude to the many agencies, individuals, and non-governmental organizations that made this day possible,” Harrison Li wrote, expressing