The State Department announced the release of Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung. A U.S. government official told NBC News the three were exchanged for two Chinese detainees.

Three Americans detained in China were released after the Biden administration negotiated a prisoner swap. Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung are on their way back to the US, a spokesperson for the National Security Council NSC said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Americans were freed in exchange for a Chinese intelligence officer who was serving a 20-year sentence in the United States, officials said.