US Scholar Min Zin Detained in China on Espionage Charges

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Min Zin, a U.S. citizen and founder of the Institute for Strategy and Policy – Myanmar, was detained on suspicion of espionage and endangering China’s national security. The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the suspect was “engaging in espionage activities that endanger China’s national security.”

Min Zin was arrested on June 3 at Kunming airport in Yunnan province, a border region with Myanmar. He was travelling to a conference in Kunming and was subsequently placed under “criminal compulsory measures.” China has notified the U.S. consulate in Guangzhou of the arrest.

The United States State Department confirmed it is aware of the case and is providing consular assistance. Amnesty International called the arrest “extremely concerning,” urging his immediate release. Min Zin, who holds dual U.S.–Myanmar citizenship, is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Berkeley and a former student activist in Myanmar’s 1988 pro‑democracy movement. The detention comes amid heightened U.S.–China tensions following President Trump’s recent visit to Beijing and ahead of Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing’s scheduled trip to China.

Human‑rights observers note that hundreds of U.S. citizens are currently detained in China on various charges, and the case may affect diplomatic relations between the two powers.