AmanwhohaslivedinDurant and former restaurant owner here was among those released by China during the prisoner swap with the U.S. Thanksgiving week.
The Associated Press and multiple other news outlets reported last week that John Leung and two other prisoners from the U.S. were released and they arrived in San Antonio on Nov. 27. AP reportedthatitwastheresult of a diplomatic agreement with Beijing and that four people had been returned to China as part of the prisoner swap.
Leung, 79, once owned a Hong Kong restaurant in the shopping center on Washington Avenue where Pruitt’s grocery store is located.
According to AP, Leung was sentenced to life in prison last year on charges of spying.
CNN has reported that Leung is a leader of several pro-Beijing groups in the United States, who has met with Chinese government officials.
Leung was once active in the Durant business community.
The Democrat reported on April 18, 1997, that Leung was the go-between of a Chinese delegation that toured Durant, visiting schools, businesses and city offices. Those visiting included Dai Zhi Guo, vice mayor of Guangzhou, China.
Leung told Democrat reporter Matt Swearengin at that time about the group’s impressions of Durant and possible future plans.
“They told me they were very surprised,” Leung said. “Durant is a very small city with very kind people and very warming people. It is a small town, but it has everything. It has a very big heart.”
Leung also said that Chinese investors were interested in buying cattle in Bryan County and selling the beef in China.
GlenBurkereportedinthe Democrat on July 15, 1988, that Leung hosted a group of six Chinese businessmen with the Durant Chamber of Commerce.
Leung still has a home in Durant and a person answering the door Monday afternoon declined a request for an interview. Other than he is in the U.S., his location at press time had not been revealed.