The husband of an alleged American spy has requested for assistance from President Barack Obama as he prepares to meet with President Xi Jinping over the weekend at the Group of 20 Summit.

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The alleged American spy, Mrs. Phan Gillis, better known as Sandy, is set to face trial for spying with evidence dating to 20 years. Some of the charges against her include trying to recruit Chinese nationals in the U.S to spy against their homeland.

"The time is really critical for Sandy with the imminent meeting between President Obama and President Xi," said her husband, Mr. Gillis.

Mr. Gillis insists that his wife is innocent and that Chinese officials need to do better research on the matter.

"Sandy is completely innocent," he said. "Chinese officials did not even check whether their own internal database to see if Sandy was in the country then. She wasn't even in China."

"The State Department has aggressively tried to talk to the Chinese about releasing Sandy including at very high levels. State Department officials have told 'all levels of the Chinese government' that Mrs. Gillis was not a spy," he added.

Mr. Gillis has requested that President Obama raises the case with President Jinping while at the Group of 20 Summit in Eastern China

Cases like those of Mrs. Gillis have been a great hindrance for proper ties between Washington and Beijing.

According to one of Mrs. Gillis's lawyers, her initial statement, which agreed with the charges against her, was made after she was put under pressure from investigators.  

"She told me that she confessed only under compulsion," he said. A date for her trial is yet to be set. Her lawyers, however, believe that it will be heard within the next two months.

The former trusted business consultant is currently being held at a detention center in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi.

Tagschina, US, President Barack Obama, President Xi Jinping, G20 summit