Scholars protest detention of U.S. colleague in China

Li Shaomin was detained by Chinese authoritys during one of his frequent visits to Shenzen

In this story: Taiwan connection Espionage charge RELATED STORIES, SITES

HONG KONG, China -- More than 100 university academics have signed a petition demanding Beijing release an American professor under investigation for espionage.

Li Shaomin, a U.S. citizen who taught at the City University of Hong Kong, disappeared after crossing the border into China on February 25 to see a friend, and was subsequently detained.

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Li's wife, Liu Yingli, said Chinese authorities have given no explanation for his detention.

"I honestly believe that he has done nothing wrong. All he did was to pursue his research," she told a news conference Monday.

AUDIO Liu Yingli tells CNN’s Mike Chinoy of the agony she and her family are going through. 732KB/1:07min AIFF or WAV sound

The Hong Kong academics issued their petition on the eve of a visit to the territory by Chinese President Jiang Zemin for an economic conference beginning Tuesday.

The petition said Li's arrest, as well as recent detentions of other writers and scholars, had chilled academics.

"The recent events have instilled fear and bewilderment among the international community of scholars of China studies," said the petition, signed by 104 scholars.

MESSAGE BOARD Discuss issues on China

"I can only think that this is something that they would do to intimidate the other scholars which means that the scholars around the world, no matter what their country origins are, are in danger," Li's wife Liu Yingli told CNN's Mike Chinoy.

AUDIO Liu Yingli tells CNN's Mike Chinoy she has no idea why her husband was detained. 638KB/59secs AIFF or WAV sound

"It is the most agonizing time for me. This very painful experience won’t even spare my daughter who is nine years old and our parents who are over 70 years old.

"We have been spending these two months restless and sleepless and our only hope is that he can come home sooner to join the family," she said.

Taiwan connection

TRANSCRIPT CNN's Mike Chinoy speaks exclusively with Liu Yingli

Li was visited by an official from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing on April 30 in the third such contact since he was detained, said Barbara Zigli, a spokeswoman at the U.S. consulate in Hong Kong.

U.S. diplomats in Beijing are seeking more visits and pressing Beijing to release Li on humanitarian grounds, Zigli said.

The Chinese have advised the Americans that Li is being investigated on suspicion of spying for Taiwan, although he has not been charged with any crimes.

Li's health has been described as generally good, Zigli said.

Li received a doctorate in sociology from Princeton University in 1988 and has taught at Beijing University, according to his home page on the Web site for City University.

He also served as a U.N. adviser to China on the business applications of demographic data and has given seminars for the State Statistical Bureau of China, it said.

Espionage charge

China's detention of five Chinese academics with overseas nationality or residence came to light recently although only one, Gao Zhan, has been formally charged with espionage.

It was the second public appeal by local academics for Beijing to release the scholars. The first appeal in April, also addressed to Jiang, involved some 400 Chinese scholars from 14 countries and Hong Kong and Taiwan.

On Monday, a Hong Kong-based rights group said Chinese police had arrested eight members of a Chinese reading club over the weekend in the central province of Hunan.

The 104 Hong Kong-based scholars also urged the local administration to set up a dialogue with Beijing on the situation of local residents detained in mainland China.

The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report.

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Another scholar detained by China
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Human rights in China
U.S. Consulate General, Guangzhou

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