- The source says the arrangement was part of a swap deal with Beijing.
- US officials negotiated the return of Americans imprisoned in China.
- The long-serving “fugitive” was also extradited to China, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman in Beijing said.
Beijing announced Thursday that three of its citizens “unjustly imprisoned” in the United States had returned to China, after US officials said they had negotiated the return of three Americans imprisoned there.
Washington announced on Wednesday that it had managed to secure the return of the last prisoners in China who were classified by the US State Department as being unjustly detained.
A source close to the matter said the arrangement was part of a swap deal with Beijing for three unidentified Chinese nationals in US custody.
On Thursday, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the return of three citizens from the United States, without providing further details.
“After the unremitting efforts made by the Chinese government, three Chinese nationals who were unjustly imprisoned by the American side have now returned safely to the motherland,” spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular press conference in Beijing.
“This shows once again that China will never abandon its citizens at any time, and the motherland is always there as a strong reserve force for them,” Mao said.
She added that Beijing “consistently opposes the US side’s suppression and persecution of Chinese citizens for political reasons, and will continue, as it has always done, to take the necessary measures” to support their interests.
A long-time “fugitive” was also extradited to China, Mao said, adding that their return showed that “no one can escape the long arm of the law.”