Powell: Resolution near in 'spy' scholar cases

I am happy to return home, Li said at his Tokyo stopover.

By staff and wire reports

HANOI, Vietnam -- HANOI, Vietnam -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday several cases involving detained U.S.-based scholars were near "resolution".

After talks with his Chinese counterpart, Powell said: "I am pleased that several of these cases are now on their way to resolution on humanitarian grounds and we will see that quite obviously in the next 24 or so hours."

He spoke after talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan in Hanoi on the sidelines of a regional ASEAN conference.

Before the meeting with Tang, Powell had said he was "pleased" about Beijing's decision to deport Li Shaomin on Wednesday, a U.S. citizen who was convicted for spying for Taiwan.

Li's expulsion came just three days before Powell is schedule to arrive in Beijing for his first China visit as secretary of state.

Both sides hope Powell's visit would ease strained relations between the two nations.

Relations on ‘up-swing’

AUDIO CNN's Beijing bureau chief Jaime Florcruz says Li Shaomin is looking forward to being reunited with his family 1.63MB / 2 min 27 sec AIFF or WAV sound   COUNTRY PROFILE At a glance: China Provided by CountryWatch.com    CNN.com Asia More news from our Asia edition

Powell did not specifically mention if scholar Gao Zhan, who was convicted of spying and sentenced to a 10-year prison term Tuesday, would also be released.

U.S. officials have said Washington was seeking the release of Gao, a U.S. permanent resident who has a heart condition, on humanitarian grounds. It was not clear which of several other U.S.-based scholars being detained by China could qualify for release on humanitarian grounds.

Asked specifically if Gao was getting medical parole, Powell replied, "I will let the Chinese characterize her situation in the way they wish to characterize it." He said the meeting with Tang had been excellent and was a "good start" ahead of his visit to Beijing Saturday.

"I think the relationship is on an upswing now, now that the irritations are behind us, and I know that they are anxious to move forward," Powell said.

"They believe that we have a role to play in the region. They're not trying to squeeze us out," he added.

Asked about details of the talks, Tang said, "We talked about two items that are very important to America -non-proliferation and some individuals' cases."

He did not elaborate.

But in Washington, Chinese Ambassador Yang Jiechi played down the importance of the development to overall U.S.-China relations, saying, "Some things should not be built up way out of proportion."

Li homeward bound

Li's wife Liu Yingli told CNN her husband's detention was 'agonizing' for her

Meanwhile, Li, convicted July 14, is due to arrive in San Francisco from Beijing on Wednesday around 0400 GMT and will be greeted by U.S. officials.

Talking briefly to reporters during a stopover in Tokyo, Li thanked the media coverage and those who helped and supported him.

"I am happy to return home," he said, also thanking the U.S. government for his release.

Li said he was "stressed out" and did not answer questions about his case or sentence.

Li's expulsion comes a day after Beijing court convicted Gao and Qin Guangguang, both Chinese-born scholars with U.S. permanent residency of spying and sentenced them to 10 years in prison.

Chinese authorities arrested Gao on February 11 during a visit to Beijing and also temporarily held her husband and 5-year-old son, a U.S. citizen.

Commenting on Gao and Qin's convictions the official Chinese Xinhua news agency said both had "collected intelligence for spy agencies in Taiwan, causing a serious threat to China's national security." A Chinese scholar, Qu Wei, also was sentenced Tuesday to 13 years in jail. Xinhua said Qu provided secrets and intelligence to Gao and Li.

At least two other Chinese-born scholars with U.S. ties are still in detention in China without trial.