Republicans Demand Immediate Release of Chinese-Held American Mark Swidan

Texas resident Katherine Swidan holds a picture of her son Mark Swidan who has been held in China for a decade. Courtesy of the Swidan family

In the midst of rising tensions between the United States and China, Republicans—including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)—are calling for the release of American Mark Swidan, who has been detained by Beijing for more than a decade.

Cruz—along with Texas Republicans Sen. John Cornyn and Congressman Michael Cloud—introduced a resolution calling for Swidan’s immediate release on the heels of the now-postponed meeting between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang.