A federal court in Cincinnati, Ohio, sentenced a Chinese national to 20 years in prison on Wednesday after he was convicted last year of conspiring to steal trade secrets from several US aerospace and aviation companies, the US Department of Justice said.
Xu Yanjun, the first Chinese spy to be extradited to the United States for trial, was convicted in November 2021 by a federal jury of conspiracy, attempted economic espionage, and theft of trade secrets.
"Today's ruling demonstrates the seriousness of these crimes and the Department of Justice's determination to investigate and prosecute efforts by the Chinese government or any foreign power to threaten our economic and national security," US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
Xu, 42, was accused of being a professional intelligence officer in China's Ministry of State Security, and was arrested in Belgium in 2018 after an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Last year, China's foreign ministry called the accusations against Xu "sheer slander".
Xu was one of 11 Chinese nationals, including two intelligence officers, named in October 2018 indictments in federal court in Cincinnati.
He was arrested in Belgium, extradited to the United States, where he stood trial and was convicted in a jury trial on November 5, 2021, of attempted economic espionage, attempted theft of trade secrets, and two counts of conspiracy in connection with the file.