China sentences 78-year-old US citizen to life in prison for espionage

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Leung’s sentencing comes at a time when relations between Beijing and Washington are at their lowest in half a century

(CNN) A 78-year-old US citizen has been sentenced to life in prison by a Chinese court for espionage.

John Shing-Wan Leung, who is also a permanent resident of Hong Kong, was convicted of espionage and sentenced to life on Monday by the Intermediate People’s Court in the eastern city of Suzhou, according to a statement released. on the court’s social media account.

Leung was arrested on April 15, 2021 by state security authorities in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, according to the brief statement, which did not provide details of his charges.

The court also confiscated personal property worth 500,000 yuan ($71,797), the statement added.

Chinese authorities and state media have so far not released any information about Leungs’ detention or the legal process that led to his conviction. In China, cases involving state security are usually handled behind closed doors.

Leung’s sentencing comes at a time when relations between Beijing and Washington are at their lowest point in half a century amid growing rivalry over trade, technology, geopolitics and military supremacy.

It also comes as US and Chinese officials resume high-level engagements since a dispute over an alleged Chinese spy balloon shattered efforts to mend ties earlier this year.

Leung is among a growing number of foreign nationals to have been caught in China’s growing crackdown on espionage under leader Xi Jinping.

In March, Chinese authorities arrested a Japanese employee of Astellas Pharma in Beijing on suspicion of espionage, the 17th Japanese national detained in China since the introduction of the Counterintelligence Law in 2014.

In another high-profile case, two Canadians, former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, were detained by China for nearly three years.

Their arrest for espionage in late 2018 came shortly after Canada arrested Chinese businesswoman and Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on a US warrant linked to the company’s business dealings in Iran.

Beijing has repeatedly denied that their cases were political retaliation, but both men were released nonetheless the same day Meng was cleared by Canada to return to China.

Last month, China passed a far-reaching amendment to its already sweeping counterintelligence law, which will go into effect July 1.

The new legislation has expanded the definition of state secrets and intelligence espionage to all documents, data, materials or items related to national security and interests, and to include cyberattacks against state organs or critical information infrastructures.

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