China releases American jailed for over 18 years

The Chinese government has released 68-year-old American David Lin, who has been serving a life sentence since 2006 on charges of contract fraud, a family member said this past weekend. 

Politico reported Sunday that Lin's daughter, Alice Lin, said the State Department notified her Saturday that Chinese authorities freed her father and that his plane was headed to San Antonio, Texas.

"No words can express the joy we have — we have a lot of time to make up for," Lin's daughter said on her way to the airport.

The Chinese embassy declined to comment on the release.

Lin was one of three U.S. citizens in China whom the State Department considers unjustly jailed.

China first agreed in July to release Lin after a meeting between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Lin's release came just weeks after National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also met with Wang.

"I know that Jake Sullivan did raise my dad's case," Lin's daughter said.

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom unsuccessfully pressed for the California resident's release during an October 2024 visit to China. Chinese authorities reportedly told Newsom that Lin would remain jailed through April 2029.

Lin's release comes just days before a congressional hearing on detained U.S. citizens in China.