USA rallies for release of 2 American citizens held in China

Ahead of United States President Donald Trump's planned meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the G-20 summit in Argentina, the US has called for the release of two young American citizens who have been held back by authorities in China since June this year.

Siblings Victor Liu, 19 years old, and Cynthia Liu, 27 years old, and their mother, Sandra Han, have allegedly been denied permission to leave China, in what US officials believe is a pressure tactic on their father, Liu Changming, to return to China.

Changming is wanted in the Asian nation over financial crimes, according to CNN.

"These Americans need to be allowed to return home," John Bolton, USA's National Security Advisor had tweeted previously.

Both the siblings hold an American passport but are viewed by Beijing as Chinese citizens who fall under their country's jurisdiction. CNN reported that China has claimed that the family is involved in economic crimes, and their current location in the country is unknown.

"Out of concern for the security of these young Americans, we will refrain from public comment as we continue our efforts to constructively and directly engage the Chinese government to allow them to return home," Liu family's lawyer David Pressmanhe told CNN.

Representatives for the Liu family have stated that the family hopes that Trump will take up their case with Jinping during the planned meeting.

China had issued a worldwide Interpol red notice in 2009 against their father, Changming, who has been accused of issuing illegal loans worth billions of dollars before taking off. He has also featured on China's list of 100 top fugitives in 2015.