More than 600 days have passed since Dr. Youlin Chen, a Chinese American seismologist, was detained in China after a trip to visit family. On Nov. 5, 2024, Chinese state security agents stopped Chen at Beijing Capital International Airport as he prepared to return to Boston; he was later charged with espionage and transferred to a Chinese prison.
Chen, 54, is one of two American scholars the U.S. State Department has identified as wrongfully detained. His wife, Yufang Rong, said she last heard from him when he sent a puzzling message saying he had changed his flight, and her subsequent calls and messages went unanswered.
Dr. Youlin Chen was sent to a Chinese prison on Nov. 5, 2024. His wife, Yufang Rong, has been fighting for his release ever since. (Courtesy: Yufang Rong)
"When he was supposed to board the flight and come back to us, I received a weird message from him saying he changed his flight," Rong told NewsNation reporter Elizabeth Vargason. "Since then, I had never received any information from him, no matter how I called him or messaged him."
Rong and the family's advocates have raised concerns about Chen's health and treatment in custody. She says Chen spent his first seven months in detention in solitary confinement and suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol — conditions that heighten her anxiety about both his physical and mental well-being.
Dr. Youlin Chen was sent to a Chinese prison on Nov. 5, 2024. His wife, Yufang Rong, has been fighting for his release ever since. (Courtesy: Yufang Rong)
Advocates assisting the family describe Chen as a respected expert in seismic analysis and nuclear-test detection. Kieran Ramsey, Chief Investigative Officer at Global Reach, which is advising the family, said Chen has been interrogated roughly 100 times during his first year of detention and suggested China may be using detained academics as leverage in broader diplomatic negotiations.
"Dr. Chen is one of the foremost experts in seismic analysis, especially when it comes to nuclear testing detection," Ramsey said. "So clearly they have a hand to play in what we call 'hostage diplomacy.' This is not just a legal process — this is leverage."
Rong said President Donald Trump raised Chen’s case with Chinese President Xi Jinping during Mr. Trump's visit to Beijing in May and she hopes the president will press Xi again during their high-stakes summit in Washington, D.C. Rong also urged Trump to seek the release of another detained academic, Min Zin.
The family continues to seek greater diplomatic pressure for Chen’s release while advocacy groups publicize his case and health concerns. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
