On March 28, 1994, Xi Yang was convicted of "spying and stealing state secrets" in China. Beijing Intermediate People's Court sentenced him to 12 yeas in prison and stripped him of political rights for another 2 years in a closed-door hearing.

Before the trial, Xi Yang was put under detention for half a year, totally concealed from the outside world except for a 30-mintute meeting with his father, Mr. Xi Lin Sheng. During this period, no discussion about the case was allowed.

The whole court proceeding took place in the Beijing Intermediate People's Court. It was open neither to the press nor to his family. Xi Yang has no representative lawyer, but had to defend himself.

Xi's family did not receive any written verdict until a phonecall from the judiciary delivering the news on the fourth day after the "secret trial".

Without posting the written verdict outside the court, which is required in Chinese law, the conviction of Xi was announced through an informal channel a journalists'' association in China.

A widespread campaign for Xi's release and demands for an open, just and fair trial on Xi's appeal to the Higher Court of China was everywhere in Hong KOng at that time.

The "secret" that Xi was accused of stealing was about the readjustment of internal policies on interest rates and gold on the world market.

However, those "secrets" were soon disclosed to the public after Xi's conviction. But the court still insisted on hav8ng a close trail, since the case concerned a "state secret".

The Chinese government claimed Xi confessed that his "unlawful" behaviour had caused "unnecessary loss" to the country's economy. But the authorities gave no evident of what the loss was.

On 24 January 1997, Xi Yang was given parole since he showed "sings of government, according to the Chinese government.