Who is Feng Xue, an American geologist?

Feng Xue, 44, born in China, was detained at the end of 2007. Prior to this, he had participated in the negotiation with his American employer IHS Energy (now called "IHS Inc") to purchase the China oil industry database.

After Feng Xue was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, the State Council said that the United States was very concerned about Feng Xue's due process rights under China law and called on China to release him.

The State Council spokesman Mark Toner said: "We call on China to release Feng Xue on humanitarian grounds and send him back to the United States immediately."

U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman said he was disappointed that Feng Xue was sentenced.

Qin Gang, spokesman of China's Foreign Ministry, said at a regular press conference earlier that "the judicial department of China tried the case in strict accordance with the law. This is China's internal affairs, and China's judicial sovereignty allows no foreign interference. " (End)