Wife of US seismologist held in China says Trump will ask Xi to free him

The wife of a U.S. seismologist imprisoned in China said on Tuesday that President Donald Trump will request Chinese leader Xi Jinping to release her husband during an upcoming meeting. Yufang Rong, Youlin Chen's wife, expressed concern that Beijing may attempt to prosecute her Chinese-born husband under fabricated espionage charges, despite his research being publicly funded, based on freely available data, and conducted in cooperation with Chinese scientists.

Trump is set to meet with Xi on Wednesday, marking their second encounter since May, as the two nations grapple with various tensions ranging from trade disputes to issues concerning Iran and Taiwan. Rong was provided assurances during a Tuesday meeting at the White House with representatives from the State Department and National Security Council that Trump would approach Xi to secure the release of her husband.

Chen, 54, is one of two Americans designated by the U.S. as being wrongfully detained, making her husband's freedom a top priority for the American government. The other individual held by Beijing is Min Zin, a scholar who was arrested earlier.