John Shing-Wang Leung, a 78-year-old US citizen, was arrested on April 15, 2021. counter-intelligence agency in the southeastern city of Suzhou on charges of espionage, and his life sentence was released today.
Without giving further details, the City Intermediate Court announced Leung’s verdict in a brief statement declaring that Leung’s personal assets of $71,000 were also confiscated.
The Suzhou authorities “took the necessary measures in accordance with the law” against Leung in April 2021, without specifying exactly when he was taken into custody.
The decision comes after months of escalating tensions between Beijing and Washington over issues such as a Chinese-origin balloon being shot down on US soil. controversy over Taiwan and the war in Ukraine, and a possible U.S. ban on the Chinese video app Tiktok.
In April, China amended its Anti-Espionage Law to include “collaboration with spy organizations and their agents” under the category of espionage.
Lawmakers explained that the reform “adheres to a problematic approach” and “expands” the categories of objects whose theft will be classified as “theft of secrets.”
In recent months Beijing has also launched investigations into foreign consultants in China, which have raised concerns in the sector and potential foreign investors.
China denies there is a campaign against these companies, while some voices suggest that Beijing is tightening its fence against “leaks of confidential information.”
According to EFE
Source: La Opinion
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