U.S. Scholar’s Detention in China Draws U.S. Government Attention

The Trump administration has labeled an American scholar detained in China as wrongfully held. This decision escalates the case just weeks before President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in the U.S.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced this designation for Min Zin, a U.S. citizen, after reviewing the events surrounding his June 3 detention in Yunnan, China. Zin had traveled for an academic conference, invited by the Chinese government, according to the State Department.

Currently, Min Zin is one of two U.S. citizens deemed wrongfully detained in China by the U.S. State Department. The other is Dr. Youlin Chen, an American seismologist from Boston.

The safety and security of U.S. citizens is the State Department’s top priority,

Assistant Secretary Dylan Johnson stated. He emphasized ongoing efforts to advocate for Zin and for the release of all Americans arbitrarily detained or barred from leaving China.

An official has shared that Zin was detained upon arriving at the airport in China. He has since faced repeated interrogation and confinement over nearly 11 weeks.

The initial hours of Zin’s detention left his family and colleagues without knowledge of his whereabouts or condition. For a span of 48 hours, they remained in the dark regarding his status and those detaining him.

Chinese authorities later informed the U.S. Embassy that Zin faces a criminal investigation for allegedly threatening China’s national security.

China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed Zin’s arrest and cited suspicions of spying and threats to national security. Beijing refutes claims of wrongful detention, maintaining that such cases comply with Chinese law.

This U.S. designation of Zin’s situation increases governmental focus and resources directed at securing his release. It places additional attention on his detention ahead of Xi Jinping’s expected visit to the White House on Sept. 24.

Min Zin, known for his writings on Burma and Chinese foreign policy, currently leads the Institute for Strategy and Policy, a think tank focused on Burma. He has a history of involvement in Burma’s 1988 pro-democracy movements before seeking asylum in the U.S.

The State Department continues to push for the release of Zin and others perceived as arbitrarily detained in China.