China shuns U.S. calls to release scholar

Gao Zhan has been detained for 46 days

In this story: State secrets China's problem Retaliation RELATED STORIES, SITES

By Staff and wire reports

HONG KONG, China -- China has brushed aside pressure from the United States to release Washington-based scholar Gao Zhan, who has been detained for 46 days.

On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi restated the government's position that Gao accepted missions from overseas intelligence agencies for spying activities.

"The evidence is solid and she herself has already confessed. The relevant departments of our side are carrying out investigations according with law," he said.

Husband pleas with China CNN's Veronica Pedrosa speaks with Xue Donghua 2.44Mb/3:52 AIFF or WAV sound

But U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher has said that Gao never worked for the U.S. government.

Members of the U.S. Congress are hoping to hasten Gao's release by granting her U.S. citizenship.

Gao, who is being held in an undisclosed location, was arrested with her husband Xue Donghua and five-year-old son Andrew Xue in Beijing on February 11 after a family trip.

Xue and Andrew were released 26 days later and returned to the United States.

State secrets

Foreign Ministry's Sun has refused to name the "overseas intelligence agencies" Gao allegedly worked for.

"I can't understand why the U.S. side has said we were accusing them. I said overseas intelligence agencies," he added.

"Since this case involves state secrets, it therefore should not be publicized," Sun said.

But members of the United States Congress are seeking to grant Gao U.S. citizenship.

"It would strengthen the hand of the State Department and further press the urgency of the situation," Matt Raymond, a spokesman for Senator George Allen said Wednesday.

Allen and other lawmakers plan to introduce legislation next week that would grant citizenship to Gao.

Chinese-born Gao and her husband Xue are permanent U.S. residents. They had completed all but the final step toward citizenship when they were detained.

Xue will be sworn in as a citizen during a special ceremony on Friday.

China's problem

At a news conference in Beijing on Thursday, Foreign Ministry's Sun brushed aside suggestions that granting U.S. citizenship to Gao would be a "slap in the face of the Chinese government".

"A Chinese citizen has broken Chinese law and Chinese judiciary departments are investigating this case and no other country has the right to interfere," he said.

Gao, a political scientist at American University in Washington, D.C, is being held for allegedly supplying "internal Chinese government information" to Taiwan, sources said.

Retaliation

A Western diplomat in Beijing said it was likely Gao's detention had to do with "retaliation" against the recent defection to the United States by Senior Colonel Xu Junping.

"Agents from the Ministry of State Security are keeping close tabs on foreign scholars -- particularly those of ethnic Chinese origin -- doing research in Beijing and other major cities," the diplomat said.

"They might have pounced on Gao to send a message of toughness to both Washington and Taipei. That Gao is not yet a U.S. citizen might persuade Beijing they could face less pressure from the international community."

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman also accused the U.S. Congress of using human rights issues as "an excuse" for the International Olympic Committee not to award Beijing the 2008 Olympics.

"This is a blatant contempt and challenge to the Olympic principle. This is a farce, therefore we are firmly opposed to that and this farce will be cast aside by all justice upholding people and countries in the world."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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