Husband of scholar held in China 'praying every day'

Xue Donghua

(CNN) -- A court in Beijing, China, has convicted two U.S residents, including detained scholar Gao Zhan, for spying, sentencing them both to 10 years in prison, state-run media in China reported. The court ruled that Gao and Qin Guangguang had collected intelligence for spy agencies in Taiwan.

Gao Zhan's husband, Xue Donghua, spoke to CNN's Carol Lin from Washington. He's been a frequent guest on CNN as he lobbies on behalf of his wife's case.

LIN: Good morning, Mr. Xue.

XUE DONGHUA: Good morning, Carol.

LIN: Do you see any hope in your wife's situation, at this point, now that she's been convicted and sentenced?

XUE: I don't know. I don't see any -- yes, I still see hope, but I don't have any official word of when they're going to release her. But I'm going to talk to the State Department and my congressman and senators to try to get more help about this.

LIN: All right, as you know, (U.S. Secretary of State) Colin Powell is taking a trip to Asia and as I understand it, your wife's case, as well as others, are on his agenda, to speak to Beijing authorities. Have you appealed to him directly yet on your wife's behalf? And do you know what he's going to be saying to Beijing officials?

XUE: I'm pretty sure he's going to raise my wife's case to Beijing officials. Actually, my senator, George Allen (R. Virginia) sent a letter to him personally and I want him to erase the case. And I know that he will meet with the Chinese foreign minister tomorrow in Vietnam. So I'm going to request the State Department, Secretary Powell, to talk to the Chinese official, whenever he gets a chance to appeal for my wife's release.

LIN: Well, what is it that he needs to say at this point? I spoke to you last before China officially got the Summer Games for 2008. So I'm wondering what leverage, if any, do you think the United States has on your wife's behalf?

XUE: Well, we're not talking about leverages because if we just ... threaten people we cannot keep the threat. There's nothing. So right now we're just saying that in this time, there's a crucial time -- for Secretary Colin Powell's visit in China, which is very good sign -- to improve the U.S.-China relations ... even several days before his visit.

They convict my wife with a 10-year sentence, which is outrageous. So I think the Chinese government wants to show Mr. Powell (its) hard side.

LIN: Well, her attorney is applying for a medical parole because she apparently has a heart condition. How serious is this heart condition and what are the chances then that Beijing officials will show some sense of mercy?

XUE: Well, her heart condition is pretty serious, according to her attorneys. And they actually applied for medical parole right after the court trial. And we don't know how much percentage we got that we can get the appeal to be approved. Her legal team is going to keep doing that, to request a medical parole, and what I'm doing here is trying to get more attention and help from the U.S. government, the White House and U.S. Congress.

LIN: Are you worried that her condition might deteriorate? Is there any chance that you think that she might actually die in custody?

XUE: Don't ask me that question, Carol. I hope she will be out and I'm praying every day. And -- but yes, her heart condition is pretty serious. And I certainly don't want her to die in custody, which is unacceptable.

LIN: All right, thank you very much, Xue Donghua, following the case of his wife from Washington. She is sentenced now to 10 years in prison but her case is being appealed on various levels.