Two Americans detained in China on border charges

Two Americans from an English-teaching business in China have been detained and bailed in the east of the country on suspicion of "organising others to illegally cross the border," the foreign ministry said Thursday.

Alyssa Petersen and Jacob Harlan, a father of five, were taken into custody in Jiangsu province on September 27 and 29 and then released on bail, said foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang.

Their Idaho-based company China Horizons, which arranges for Americans to teach English in Chinese schools, said in a post on its Facebook page on Saturday that the charges were "bogus".

The detentions come amid diplomatic and trade tensions between China and the United States.

"I do not see this incident as having any specific links to current China-US relations," Geng said at a regular press conference.

The US consulate in Shanghai was notified in a "timely fashion" and consular visits were arranged for both of them, he said.

The US State Department said it was "aware" of the detention of two US citizens in Jiangsu and the charges being brought against them.

"We take seriously our responsibility to assist US citizens abroad and are monitoring the situation," a US embassy spokesman told AFP.

China Horizons said on Facebook that "their families are working on getting them international lawyers to help them get back home to the States."
"She cannot have any contact with anyone outside of a Consulate Officer who can visit once a month and a Lawyer."