DATE=1/28/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CHINA / U-S SCHOLAR (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258540
BYLINE=DAVID SWAN
DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 


INTRO:  U-S lawmakers say a Chinese-born scholar may 
soon be on his way back to his home in the United 
States after months of detention in China on charges 
of smuggling classified documents.  As V-O-A's David 
Swan reports, the lawmakers said Chinese officials 
told them of the plan to release scholar Song Yongyi.


TEXT:  Mr. Song had been held since August, when both 
he and his wife were taken into custody.  At the time, 
he was researching China's Cultural Revolution of the 
1960s and 70s.  China accused Mr. Song of dealing in 
state secrets.  But officials of Dickinson College in 
(the northeast U-S state of) Pennsylvania, where he 
works, said he only collected previously published 
material.

Mrs. Song was allowed to return to the United States 
in November.  Now, Pennsylvania Republican Senator 
Arlen Specter, who pressed for Mr. Song's release, 
says he too will be freed.

            /// Specter Act ///

      The Chinese ambassador to the United States told 
      me this (Friday) morning just about an hour ago 
      that Yongyi Song, the librarian from Dickinson 
      College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania has been 
      released from detention by the People's Republic 
      of China.  And that is good news indeed.

            /// End Act ///

Mr. Song was born in China but had planned to become a 
U-S citizen in September.  His case drew protests from 
lawmakers, human rights activists and other librarians 
and scholars.  Senator Specter believes Beijing was 
sensitive to the pressure because it did not wish to 
jeopardize its bid to join the World Trade 
Organization.

            /// Specter Act ///

      And I think there is a realization that China 
      will have to be respectful of human rights if 
      they are to enter the community of nations as 
      full-fledged partners.

            /// End Act ///

Mr. Song was expected to leave China on a flight bound 
for (the U-S city of) Detroit and return from there to 
Pennsylvania. (Signed)

NEB/DS/ENE/JP




28-Jan-2000 14:30 PM EDT (28-Jan-2000 1930 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.