US academic 'confesses' to spying

Mr Xue urged his wife not to give up hope

China has said that a US-based academic detained for more than six weeks has confessed to spying and accepting money from foreign spying agencies.

"Evidence has shown that Gao Zhan accepted missions from overseas intelligence agencies and took funds for spying activities," Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi told reporters on Tuesday.

He was not allowed to see his parents or grandparents - if this is not a detention, I don't know what a detention should be

Xue Donghua

Last week, the US "demanded" the release of Ms Gao, a political science researcher at the American University in Washington DC.

Her case was raised by President George W Bush when he met Chinese Vice-Premier Qian Qichen in Washington last week.

US officials have also protested at the alleged treatment of her five-year-old son - a US citizen - who was detained with Ms Gao and her husband, Xue Donghua, in Beijing on 11 February.

The boy, Andrew, was held in isolation and not allowed to see his parents. Officials also failed to inform the US embassy that Andrew had been detained.

He has since been released along with his father.

Ms Gao and Mr Xue are US residents awaiting full citizenship.

Detention

Last Thursday, China said that Ms Gao had "confessed" to "activities harming state security".

Gao with her family

Chinese officials also dismissed complaints about Andrew, insisting that he had been in "good care" in a kindergarten.

They also said Andrew's parents had never asked police to notify the US embassy, so China had not violated agreements requiring it to inform the US if it holds American citizens.

"He was not allowed to see his parents or grandparents. If this is not a detention, I don't know what a detention should be," Mr Xue said in response.

'Nonsense'

Mr Xue has told the BBC that the allegations of his wife endangering state security were "totally nonsense".

Mr Xue and his son have returned to their home in Virginia

He welcomed the US Government pressure on Beijing.

Asked what he would say to his wife if he could speak to her, he urged her not to give up hope.

"We are working very hard to get you released," he said.

Ms Gao's work on the role of Taiwanese women in the democratic process has been published widely in Chinese-language journals.

Her research led to her travelling twice with a study group to the island, which Beijing views as a renegade province.

Mr Xue told the BBC that during his detention, he was questioned about his wife's Taiwan trip.