Letter to the Hon. Cui Tiankai - Release of Houstonian from Two-Year Detention in China

Letter

Dear Ambassador Cui:

We write to you to express serious concerns about the continued detention of Sandy Phan-Gillis, an American citizen, in China. On the eve of her two years in detention, we urge your government to immediately release Mrs. Phan-Gillis.

The U.S.-China relationship is one of the most consequential relationships in the world. We appreciate the importance of constructive relations between the United States and China. However, we do not believe that Mrs. Phan-Gillis' continued detention serves the shared interests of Washington and Beijing.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's upcoming visit to Beijing presents an invaluable opportunity for the United States and China to create an atmosphere for strengthening relations between the United States and China under the new U.S. administration, including possible plans for a summit meeting between President Trump and President Xi.

The release of Mrs. Phan-Gillis would go a long way towards creating such an atmosphere, and we urge your government to do so without delay.

Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.