A 78-year-old U.S. citizen has been found guilty of espionage and sentenced to life in prison in China.
He served as the Texas branch head of the Association for the Promotion of the Peaceful Reunification of China, a group that advocates Beijing’s claims over Taiwan. He also chaired his own foundation, the Leung Cultural Exchange Foundation, which facilitated exchanges between musicians from China and the U.S.
Leung was convicted via a closed-door trial, which is commonly utilized for sensitive cases involving espionage charges.
Although heavy sentences are rare for foreign citizens, the upcoming implementation of a new law in July is expected to broaden the scope of China’s law against espionage. Once enacted, this law will prohibit the transfer of any data determined to be associated with national security.
“This incident showed us that national security risks could be hidden in society. That’s why we repeatedly stressed that, although Hong Kong’s situation appears to be largely stabilized, we can’t let down our guard over national security risks and have to stay vigilant,” Lee said.
While it was not made clear where Leung was residing at the time of his…
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