Three Americans who the State Department said were wrongfully detained in China for years are on their way back to the U.S. as part of a prisoner swap, a senior U.S. official with knowledge of the deal told ABC News.

Americans Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung are en route back to the United States from imprisonment in China, the White House said.

Three American citizens who had been imprisoned in China for years were released and are on their way back to the United States, the White House announced Wednesday. The development marks a significant diplomatic achievement in the final months of President Joe Biden 's administration.

Three American men held for years in Chinese prisons have been released in a holiday prisoner swap just in time for Thanksgiving.

China has freed three Americans considered wrongfully detained in a swap with the United States, US officials said Wednesday, meeting a key goal of outgoing President Joe Biden's administration. The three Americans — Mark Swidan,

Mark Swidan, Kai Li, and John Leung have been released from detention, a spokesperson for the National Security Council said.

A U.S. official said President Joe Biden pressed for the return of the three when he met Chinese President Xi Jinping at a regional summit in Peru.

By Simon Lewis and Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON (Reuters) -China has released U.S. citizens Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung, the White House said on Wednesday, concluding years of diplomacy over Americans that Washington says were wrongfully detained in China.

The exchange was reportedly months in the making, and included the release of at least one Chinese citizen in US custody.