Dr. Youlin Chen

Dr. Youlin Chen is an American seismologist and academic from Boston, Massachusetts who conducted research on US government-funded projects. In October 2024, Dr. Chen traveled to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to visit with family in country. He set to return home when, on November 5th, 2024, he was arrested at the Beijing Capitol International Airport, by agents from the Beijing State Security Bureau. The agents accused him of espionage because of the research he has done for the U.S. government; unfounded allegations against an American researcher.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated Dr. Chen as wrongfully detained in March 2026.

Since his arrest, the US embassy personnel have been allowed to visit Dr, Chen, but are not allowed to discuss his case with him. His family has not been allowed any direct contact with Youlin since his arrest.

Dr. Chen’s health remains a concern. He suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, conditions that require consistent medication and medical monitoring. He needs reliable access to treatment and care that is not available while he is unjustly incarcerated.

Dr. Chen and his family are suffering. He is innocent and being used as a tool for political leverage by the PRC. Additionally, his continued wrongful detention underscores the threat that the PRC poses to American researchers. Responsible countries do not detain academics for their research. Given Dr. Chen’s designation as “wrongfully detained,” it is clear that his case has the attention of President Trump and senior leaders within the U.S. government. As long as Dr. Chen remains wrongfully detained by the Chinese government, his unjust imprisonment will be an irritant between our countries.