(c) Copyright 2003, The Tallahassee Democrat. All Rights Reserved.

Monday, February 10, 2003

By Joe McDonald THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A Chinese court convicted U.S.-based dissident Wang Bingzhang on spying and terrorism charges today and sentenced him to life in prison, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

Wang, 55, was arrested after police said they found him tied up in a temple July 3. However, pro-democracy activists suggested he was abducted in Vietnam by Chinese agents after he secretly met with Chinese labor leaders in Hanoi.

Wang was convicted by a court in the southern city of Shenzhen of "espionage, (and) organizing and leading a terrorist group," Xinhua said in a two-sentence report. It did not give any details of the case or evidence against Wang.

The U.S. Embassy in Beijing and the Chinese Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment.

Wang was visiting Hanoi with two other dissidents when they were reported missing in June.

Chinese authorities say they found all three in southern China's Guangxi region, which borders Vietnam, while they were investigating a kidnapping case. Wang apparently was taken to Shenzhen, near Hong Kong, where he was formally charged Dec. 5.

The Chinese government has said the two other dissidents - Yue Wu and Zhang Qi - were cleared of involvement in Wang's activities.

Xinhua said earlier that Wang's trial was closed because it involved state secrets.

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