In China, an American has been sentenced to life in prison for spying. The Suzhou City Court gave no details of the charge. China only tightened its anti-espionage law in April.
Life Imprisonment: Such high sentences are rare for foreigners in China. An American citizen with permanent residence in Hong Kong was convicted of espionage. The American’s assets were also confiscated. It was the equivalent of around 66 thousand euros.
The 78-year-old man was arrested by counterintelligence officers in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou in April 2021. This was announced by the court, according to Chinese online media. Details of the spying allegations were not released.
Hong Kong Security Minister Chris Tang announced the verdict. The convicted US citizen was also deprived of his assets.
Relations with the US are at a low point
Relations between China and the United States are currently the most tense in decades. The trade war between the world’s two largest economies, dispute over the democratically governed island of Taiwan claimed by China, China’s human rights violations and mutual spying allegations are straining the relationship between the two countries.
China only tightened its anti-espionage law in April. Not only state secrets, but also vaguely defined “national interests” must be protected accordingly. Several foreigners have already been arrested in China on espionage charges, including a senior executive at a Japanese pharmaceutical company in March. Trials following such allegations usually take place behind closed doors.