Its Citizens Threatened Maximum Sentence In US Court For Accused Of Spying, China: It Was Purely Engineering

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin. (Source: qa.chineseembassy.org)

JAKARTA - China called the accusations against a citizen sentenced by a United States (US) federal court fabricated and asked Washington to handle the case fairly.

The US Department of Justice announced last Friday that a Chinese national named Xu Yanjun had been convicted by a federal jury of plotting to steal trade secrets from several US aerospace and aviation companies.

"The accusations are purely fabricated," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters in Beijing, citing Reuters on November 9.

"We demand that the US handle this case in accordance with the law and in a fair manner to ensure the rights and interests of Chinese citizens."

Xu was convicted of two counts of conspiring and attempting to carry out economic espionage, in addition to one count of conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets and two counts of attempted theft of trade secrets.

As a result of the charges, Xu faces a maximum sentence of 60 years in prison and a total fine of more than US$5 million, according to a press release. He will be sentenced by a federal district court judge.

To note, in 2013 Xu was accused of using several aliases to carry out economic espionage and steal trade secrets on behalf of China. Several US aerospace and aviation companies, including GE Aviation, a unit of General Electric Co, were targeted.