Pa. Librarian Detained in China,
Accused of Stealing State Secrets
Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, learned from Chinese authorities September 8 that Song Yongyi, librarian and head of technical services at the college’s Waidner-Spahr Library, has been detained indefinitely in Beijing on suspicion of illicit activities, including stealing and buying state secrets.
A spokesperson for the college told American Libraries that no one had heard from Song since he left with his wife earlier this summer for a visit and to do scholarly research on his subject specialty, the Cultural Revolution. She said the college heard in mid-August through an intermediary that the couple had been held since August 7 in Beijing. The information was confirmed by authorities.
College officials are “approaching this delicately,” she said, trying to work through contacts in China, “but we’ve been told that since they are not U.S. citizens not to expect too much help from the government.” Another source told AL that the couple was a few months shy of citizenship and thought they had nothing to fear.
Posted September 13, 1999.
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