China wrongfully detaining US citizen, State Department declares

A U.S. scholar, U Min Zin, is being held in China without justification, according to the State Department. The government of the United States has declared his detention as unlawful, alleging the charges against him appear politically motivated. Zin, who is the executive director of the Institute for Strategy and Policy (Myanmar), was invited to attend a conference in Yunnan, China, and was arrested on June 6.

Chinese authorities claim he was a threat to national security due to his alleged espionage activities. However, Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson has stated that the U.S. government views the charges as questionable. Zin, a former participant in Burma's democracy movement, has been advocating for his release and that of other U.S. citizens detained in China.

Another American, seismologist Youlin Chen, has also been wrongfully detained by the Chinese government since November 2024. The State Department has dismissed the Chinese government's allegations against Chen, emphasizing it remains a top priority to ensure the safety and security of U.S. citizens.