American woman held in China accused of being a spy

Hong Lei, a representative for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, affirmed on Tuesday that Ms. Phan-Gillis had been under scrutiny “on suspicion of exercises hurtful to Chinese national security”.

This undated photo provided to media by Jeff Gillis shows his wife, Sandy Phan-Gillis, who has-been arrested (taken in to custody) in China on charges of spying and stealing state secrets.

A USA businesswoman has been held for six months in China over alleged espionage, her supporters said, revealing a case that could complicate Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United States, beginning today.

The D.J. State Department stated it was conscious of her detention and monitoring her case.

“My wife isn’t a spy or a thief”, he says. “I mean, my wife is not a spy”.

“I get a call back from someone at the consulate saying ‘we know where your wife is”.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters it was “disconcerting” that numerous USA government’s questions “have gone unanswered” by Chinese officials about the status of Phan-Gillis. The Houston Chronicle reported Monday that the woman was in a trade delegation to China when she was stopped on her way to Macau. He also believes the charges were racially motivated, as Phan-Gillis, who was born in Vietnam, is ethnically Chinese.

KHOU said she was on a routine trip with Houston officials and businesspeople to China to promote trade with the Texas city. She has been hospitalised repeatedly while detained, it said.

As Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in the United States for a state visit, Washington and Beijing are trying to smooth over tensions. However, this weekend, she was moved to an actual jail.

There was no announcement of any sort from the Chinese authorities regarding her detention at the time. She allegedly also told her husband initially that she would be staying in China for longer than expected.

Phan-Gillis’s case could make Xi’s visit to the US even more uncomfortable than it already is.

More than a week passed, Phan-Gillis’ husband hadn’t heard from her. He got anxious.

Digger a little deeper into official records, the Financial Times points out that Phan-Gillis has owned or represented a number of firms ranging from communications and finance to furniture making and other manufacturing businesses. A foreign ministry spokesperson said that the suspect was in good health and was co-operating with the “relevant authorities”. The state department has offered no explanation for why it did not inform him his wife had been detained before he contacted them.