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U.S. Seismologist Youlin Chen Detained in China Nearly Two Years on Espionage Charges
Youlin Chen, a 54-year-old Boston-based seismologist and U.S. citizen since 2011, was arrested in November 2024 during a trip to China for lectures and family visits. Chinese authorities accuse him of espionage. Le Monde reported the case adds to diplomatic friction between Washington and Beijing.
Jul 20, 6:31 PM·1m read1 source
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Youlin Chen, a 54-year-old U.S. citizen and seismologist living in Boston, has been held in China for nearly two years after his arrest in November 2024, Le Monde reported. Chinese authorities charged him with espionage following a trip during which he delivered lectures and visited family.
Chen was born in China and became a U.S. citizen in 2011. He specializes in analyzing seismic waves to detect nuclear tests and has studied the six tests conducted by North Korea, focusing on signatures that distinguish them from earthquakes.
-China diplomacy as an additional point of contention. The Trump administration has pressed Chinese President Xi Jinping for a gesture on the matter while retaining leverage of its own. An undated photograph of Chen with his wife, Yufang Rong, was taken in Los Angeles, according to the report.
