US state department gets involved in detention of Houston business woman held in China

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- There are new developments in the mysterious case of a Houston business woman detained in China for more than six months.

It was supposed to be a simple business trip to China. But the plight of Houstonian Sandy Phan Gillis is taking a number of different turns since becoming public knowledge earlier this week.

Wednesday, Phan Gillis' husband, Jeff Gillis, released a letter she dictated to US officials who visited her in detention. In it, Phan Gillis wrote, "This is not a criminal case. This is a political case. I hope you can lobby for an exchange of political prisoners."

But Jim Olive, who took over as the president of the Shenzhen Sister Cities organization after Phan Gillis' disappearance, says she has never been politically active.

"I don't know her as a political person, per se," said Olive. "I know her as an independent business woman, and her work with civic organizations."

University of St. Thomas political science professor Jon Taylor agrees. Having made multiple trips to China himself, Taylor says think it was his business dealings that may be the likely cause of her detention.

"She has many connections., She brings over Houston officials all the time," Taylor notes. "This suggests this is a business deal, somehow gone wrong."

In another twist, Jeff Gillis told us Thursday he would no longer talk to the media. He sent an email to friends: "Now that the State Department is engaged, I am halting the media campaign. I'll reserve the right to crank it up again if needed."

Taylor says that could be good news, suggesting perhaps the national security offices of both countries are now working on the case and that Phan Gillis will soon be released.

"Hopefully this is now a case of, you're free to go, don't come back to China, at least not for a while," he said.

President Barack Obama is having dinner Thursday night with Chinese President Xi Jinping. It is unknown whether this case will come up in discussions. Family members of Phan Gillis are obviously hoping it will make an impact.