Biden Pardons Two Chinese Spies and CCP Official's Relative in Prisoner Swap

The clemency deal secured the release of three Americans detained in China, raising concerns over national security concessions.

President Joe Biden granted clemency to Yanjun Xu and Ji Chaoqun, two convicted Chinese spies, as well as Shanlin Jin, convicted of child pornography offenses, on November 22, 2024.
The pardons were part of a prisoner exchange that led to the release of three Americans held in China: Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung.
Yanjun Xu was convicted of attempting to steal U.S. aerospace and satellite technology and was the first Chinese intelligence officer extradited to the U.S. for trial.
Ji Chaoqun, a former U.S. Army reservist, was convicted of acting as an agent for Chinese intelligence and recruiting spies to target U.S. tech companies.
The deal has drawn criticism over potential national security risks, especially in light of ongoing concerns about Chinese espionage activities in the U.S.