Washington D.C. – China Select Committee, July 28, 2026
Dr. Youlin Chen, an American academic, was detained by Chinese authorities in November 2024 while visiting China and has reportedly been held in pre-trial detention for more than 400 days without access to legal counsel. Chen’s family recently went public regarding his continued detention in hopes of increasing public pressure on the Chinese government.
“The Chinese Communist Party’s wrongful detention of Dr. Youlin Chen is a stark reminder that academic engagement with China carries risks that extend far beyond the theft of intellectual property and research. Dr. Chen is a respected American scientist who traveled to China as part of legitimate academic activities, yet he has now been detained for more than a year without due process. The Chinese Communist Party should immediately release Dr. Chen, drop its baseless allegations, and allow him to return home to his family in the United States,” said Chairman Moolenaar.
