Trump to ask Xi to free detained US seismologist at summit

President Donald Trump will personally ask Chinese leader Xi Jinping to release detained US seismologist Youlin Chen during their summit this week, according to assurances the White House gave Chen's wife. Yufang Rong fears Beijing plans to try her husband on fabricated espionage charges. Chen, a 54-year-old US citizen, was arrested at Beijing International Airport in November 2024 after researching North Korea's nuclear tests using publicly available data. He is one of two Americans Washington designates as "wrongfully detained," with Trump also expected to advocate for scholar Min Zin's release. Beijing rejects the "wrongful detention" label, stating Chen is suspected of activities breaching domestic laws and endangering national security. Rong reported over 100 interrogations, limited consular visits, and poor prison conditions, while expressing hope Trump's personal appeal will succeed where his May request failed.