Texas Man Says Wife Is Detained In China On Spying Charges
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HOUSTON (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — The husband of an American businesswoman who's been detained by Chinese authorities for six months says his wife is accused of spying and stealing state secrets.
In a letter to President Barack Obama, Jeff Gillis asks the State Department to help arrange the release of 55-year-old Phan Phan-Gillis of Houston.
Gillis says his wife, a Vietnamese-American of Chinese descent, was detained in March while passing through a border checkpoint with a trade delegation. He denies that she is a spy or a thief.
The State Department says Phan-Gillis is being held in the southern city of Nanning. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the woman was healthy and was able to meet with American officials. He said Beijing is handling the case according to China's laws.
Phan-Gillis was visited six times by American consular officers since her March 20 arrest. The department said in a statement Tuesday it was closely monitoring the case.
According to reports, the woman was on a routine trip with Houston officials and business people to China to promote trade with the Texas city.
Jeff Gillis told a Texas newspaper that he's publicizing her detention as Chinese President Xi Jinping visits the U.S. this week in hopes of pressuring Beijing and Washington to secure her release.
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