The flags of the United States and China fly from a lamppost in the Chinatown neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, US on Nov 1, 2021.

WASHINGTON — China has released US citizens Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung, the White House said on Wednesday (Nov 27), concluding years of diplomacy over Americans that Washington says were wrongfully detained in China.

The Biden administration also upgraded its travel advisory for China, a move long sought by Beijing that US officials have tied to China’s detention of American nationals.

The National Security Council said in a statement the three men’s release meant all Americans it deemed wrongfully detained in China had now been released.

“Soon they will return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years,” it said.

China’s embassy in Washington declined to comment. Beijing says such cases are handled according to law.

Politico, which first reported the release, said a number of Chinese citizens detained in the United States would also be released.

Kai Li’s son, Harrison Li, said in a statement that his father was expected to land in the US at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas late on Wednesday, and thanked Biden administration officials for working on the release.

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