China: American sentenced to life in prison for ‘espionage’

This is a relatively rare conviction for a foreign citizen. On Monday, China sentenced a 78-year-old American man to life in prison for “espionage”. He “was guilty of espionage and was sentenced to life imprisonment and life deprivation of political rights,” the Suzhou Intermediate People’s Court in eastern China said in a statement.

The press release did not mention the exact nature of the charges against this Hong Kong resident. The profession and activities of this American citizen in China were also not immediately clear.

The personal property of John Shing-wang Leung, also known as Liang Chenyun, was also confiscated from him in the amount of 500,000 yuan (66,000 euros) during this trial at first instance.

This harsh condemnation risks further worsening Sino-US relations. Especially as it comes against the backdrop of US President Joe Biden’s visit to Japan this week to attend the G7 summit hosted in Hiroshima from May 19-21.

Sino-US relations have cooled in recent years due to disagreements over many issues: trade imbalances, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Beijing’s treatment of the Uyghur minority, or even high-tech rivalry.