The Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court Wednesday sentenced two men with foreign nationalities to imprisonment and deportation for inciting subversion of the state's political power of China and kidnapping in the country.

Another man of Chinese nationality was sentenced to imprisonment for kidnapping.

According to the first instance verdict given by the court, Sun Gang, 44, a native of Pingdingshan City of Henan Province who has New Zealand nationality, was sentenced to five years in prison, along with a fine on charges of inciting subversion of the state's political power and kidnapping.

Lan Yupeng, 54, a native of Tainan, Taiwan, who holds US nationality, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, along with a fine on the same charges.

The court also ruled the two be deported.

Lin Yandong, 42, a native of Fushun City in Liaoning Province, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison, with fines imposed, on a charge of kidnapping.

According to the court, Sun and Lan, under the directions of the head of a hostile organization abroad, had plotted to carry out propaganda in Beijing aimed at inciting subversion of the state's political power when they were staying abroad.

Sun entered China on May 6, 2003, followed by Lan the next day.The two then prepared leaflets, paint, hacksaw and airship and, in the name of other people, rent an apartment in a residential area in Beijing for the execution of the plot.

On May 14, Sun and Lan were captured in a hotel in Beijing, where they were staying temporarily, and the police uncovered someof the leaflets on the spot. The other tools they had prepared were found in the apartment later.

The court also found out that in collusion with the head of that overseas hostile organization, Sun and Lan had plotted to kidnap a person surnamed Liu working with a company in Hunan Province, by force for extorting a huge ransom.

Lan had prepared sleeping pills for the kidnapping, and Sun went to Fushun on May 10 to discuss details for the kidnapping with Lin Yandong. Lin mustered some more people and, with funds from Sun, purchased tools for carrying out the plot. Sun had also prepared a passport for fleeing China.

During the court trial, Sun, Lan and Lin raised no objections to the charges against them. Sun defended himself while Lan, Lin and their defenders spoke in defense.

Officials from the New Zealand and US embassies in Beijing were present at the trial as observers and heard the verdict.

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