Representative Chris Smith and Senator Jeff Merkley will lead a hearing to address the issue of Americans unjustly detained in China. The event, organized by the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China, is scheduled for Wednesday, September 18, 2024, at 10:00 am EDT.

The focus comes after recent attention on Americans released from Russian detention. However, several U.S. citizens remain imprisoned in China under concerning conditions. Among them are David Lin, Kai Li, and Mark Swidan, all recognized by the U.S. State Department as arbitrarily detained. Despite diplomatic efforts involving the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, their release has not been secured.

The CECC Chairs have urged President Biden to discuss these cases with Xi Jinping during the APEC Summit held in November 2023 in San Francisco. They emphasize that gaining freedom for these individuals should be a priority for the Administration. There are also other less-known Americans serving long sentences without fair trials who face serious health challenges due to poor prison conditions.

The hearing will feature input from representatives of American prisoners currently held in Chinese jails, former prisoners in China, and experts on China's legal and prison systems. It aims to scrutinize Chinese judicial practices and highlight the need for increased diplomatic efforts regarding detained Americans.

Additionally, discussions will explore criteria used under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act to determine which cases receive preferential status and what further actions can be taken to secure their release.

The hearing will take place at 106 Dirksen Senate Office Building. For more information about witnesses or other details related to the hearing, Scott Flipse can be contacted at scott.flipse@mail.house.gov.