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 who had been detained in China for years have been released in a prisoner swap between Washington and Beijing.

( NewsNation) — China has released three American prisoners who were detained for at least eight years, White House officials confirmed Wednesday. Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung were freed after years of talks between U.S. and Chinese officials, according to Politico, which first reported the prisoner swap.