President Donald Trump is expected to personally ask Chinese leader Xi Jinping to release American seismologist Youlin Chen during their upcoming summit, according to Chen’s wife, Yufang Rong. Chen, a naturalized U.S. citizen since 2011, was detained by Chinese authorities on November 5, 2024, at Beijing International Airport as he prepared to return home after visiting family and giving academic lectures at two universities. Rong also mentioned that Trump will advocate for the release of another U.S. citizen, Min Zin, an American scholar arrested in June. During a meeting at the White House with officials from the State Department and the National Security Council, Rong was assured that Trump would raise Chen’s case with Xi. Youlin Chen, 54, is one of two U.S. citizens held by China that the U.S. government has labeled as "wrongfully detained." His research focuses on detecting seismic shockwaves from North Korean underground nuclear detonations, and it has been funded transparently by the U.S. State Department and the Air Force Research Laboratory. Rong emphasized that his work used only publicly available data, was openly published, and involved direct collaboration with Chinese scientists. Chinese authorities have rejected the U.S. claim that Chen's arrest is wrongful. A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry stated that he is suspected of violating domestic laws and endangering national security, asserting that "China is a country with rule of law, and there is no such thing as wrongful detention." Rong said her husband has faced more than 100 interrogation sessions since his arrest and is being held in poor conditions, with inadequate food, medical care, and treatment for his existing health issues, including diabetes and high blood pressure. Consular access to Chen is limited to monthly 30-minute visits by U.S. embassy officials, which occur in the presence of Chinese authorities. During these visits, officials read letters from Rong and record Chen’s dictated responses, along with observations of his appearance and mental state. His Chinese attorney is not allowed to discuss these visits with Rong. Rong believes that Chinese authorities may be trying to use her husband’s technical expertise to improve their ability to conceal nuclear tests through a technique called "decoupling," where an explosive device is detonated inside a large underground chamber to reduce the shockwaves. Washington has previously accused China of using this method to mask a low-yield nuclear test in 2020. China, which signed the 1996 international nuclear test ban treaty with the U.S. but has not ratified it, denies conducting such a test. Trump had previously raised Chen’s detention with Xi in May, but no progress was made, according to Rong. A senior U.S. official said resolving the detentions of American citizens is always a top priority for the president.