The family of an American citizen has revealed that she was deceived into traveling to China under the false pretense of receiving a cash prize, only to discover that the prize was actually a designer bag lined with illicit drugs.
Lawmakers and families of detained Americans in China are urging the United States to elevate its travel warning for the country to the highest level due to concerns about arbitrary arrests on Chinese soil. Peter Humphrey, a former British journalist and fraud investigator who was imprisoned in China for nearly two years, emphasized the dangers of the country, stating that “nobody is safe in China.”
During a congressional hearing, four Americans shared their experiences of family members being detained in China for extended periods of time. The State Department currently advises Americans to reconsider traveling to China due to the arbitrary enforcement of local laws.
More than 200 Americans are believed to be under detention, exit bans, or other coercive measures in China. This issue has prompted calls for the travel warning level to be increased to its highest level to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
Sen. Jeff Merkley stressed the importance of addressing the detention of Americans as part of the U.S.-China dialogue. Rep. Zach Nunn described the situation as a tactic used by Beijing to exert pressure on the United States.
Rep. Chris Smith announced plans to introduce a bill aimed at providing more resources to families of individuals detained in China and developing strategies to secure their release. The issue was described as a violation of American human rights that cannot go unanswered.
Nelson Wells Jr. and Dawn Michelle Hunt: Americans Detained in China
Nelson Wells Jr., son of detained American citizen Kai Li, speaks at a congressional hearing on Americans detained in China, in Washington on Sept. 18, 2024. Chen Lei/The Epoch Times
Nelson Wells Jr. was arrested at an airport in 2014 after Chinese authorities allegedly found drugs in a bag he believed to be baked goods. Almost ten years later, he remains in detention, suffering from chronic pain, seizures, malnutrition, and severe depression, with thoughts of self-harm.
Detained the same year, Dawn Michelle Hunt has been jailed on similar charges. Her brother, Tim Hunt, choked up as he pleaded for her return.
Tim Hunt, brother of detained American citizen Dawn Michelle Hunt, at a congressional hearing on Americans detained in China, in Washington on Sept. 18, 2024. Chen Lei/The Epoch Times
Dawn was tricked into carrying drugs in a designer bag she received in China. She is now facing the death penalty in Guangdong province.
During her imprisonment, she was forced to make lithium batteries. When Tim Hunt saw her after 10 years, her health had deteriorated significantly.
The prison years have taken a toll on Dawn, making her almost unrecognizable to her family.
Their father, nearly 91, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, adding to the family’s worries.
The family hopes for a reunion before it’s too late.
