WASHINGTON – The United States secured the release of American pastor David Lin from China in September in exchange for a Chinese citizen, Politico reported on Oct 30, citing three people familiar with the deal.

       Mr Lin had been in jail since 2006 in a case Washington said was wrongful detention.

       US politicians had for years urged Beijing to free Mr Lin, who was jailed for life on charges of contract fraud. He denies any wrongdoing.

       The US State Department did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Oct 30.

       Politico said the three people familiar with the deal did not provide the identity of the Chinese citizen.

       It said all were granted anonymity because they were not authorised to publicly discuss sensitive diplomatic negotiations.

       Politico said the deal could be the first time the US had traded a Chinese national to free an American in recent history.

       In the aftermath of Mr Lin’s release in September, a State Department spokesperson declined to rule out that his release had been the result of a swop. “I am not going to say anything else about this process, other than what I’ve already said, which is that we welcome his release,” Mr Matthew Miller said on Sept 16.

       “Sometimes in diplomacy, the less said, the better. This is one of those occasions.”

       China’s embassy in Washington at the time declined to comment when asked if Beijing had received anything from the US in return for Mr Lin’s release.

       It said China’s authorities handle criminal suspects in accordance with the law and “treat them equally regardless of their nationality”.

       The embassy did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Oct 30. REUTERS