Cases of US citizens detained in China gain greater attention as their families increase pressure on Trump administration to help them
5-MIN READ5-MIN ListenHan Liin Washington, DCandLucy Quagginin New YorkPublished: 5:53am, 18 Sep 2026Updated: 5:55am, 18 Sep 2026Chen Youlin, a Chinese-American scientist, travelled back to China in October 2024 for a month-long holiday, including to celebrate his mother’s 80th birthday. As he prepared to leave, authorities arrested him at the airport in Beijing.For more than 670 days, his wife, Rong Yufang, and other family members have not been able to see or speak with him.
“Sometimes I realise I can no longer clearly remember the sound of his voice, and that breaks my heart,” Rong told the South China Morning Post. “Our home feels empty without him and the uncertainty surrounding his future has become a prison for our family as well.”
