TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — U.S. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price has posted on Twitter to celebrate the release of Taiwanese pro-democracy activist Lee Ming-che (李明哲) after five years' imprisonment in China.

"The United States celebrates the release and homecoming of Taiwanese democracy activist Lee Ming-che after five years of unjust detainment in a People's Republic of China prison for human rights advocacy," Price said in a Tweet on Monday (April 18).

Lee was arrested by Chinese authorities in 2017 when crossing into Guangdong Province from Macau to see friends. He was sentenced to a prison term in November that year after being convicted of “subverting state power.”

He returned home on Friday morning (April 15) at around 10: 30 a.m. via a Xiamen Airlines flight. He is currently undergoing the mandatory quarantine period and is not expected to speak with the media until after his quarantine is finished.