U.S. designates American citizen held by China as wrongfully detained

The U.S. State Department has formally designated American citizen Min Zin as wrongfully detained by China, following an extensive review of his detention in Yunnan province. Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, made the announcement on Thursday. The State Department prioritizes the safety and security of U.S. citizens, and this designation comes after Min Zin was invited to China for an academic conference in June.

Min Zin's brother, Aung Maw Zin, vehemently denies that his sibling engaged in espionage or endangered China's national security. He calls the accusations "completely untrue." Min Zin, who founded the Institute for Strategy and Policy - Myanmar, is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Berkeley. His family believes he is being targeted due to his advocacy for Burma's civil war and his leadership in student protests in 1988.

China's foreign ministry spokesman, Lin Jian, maintains that Min Zin is being held on suspicion of engaging in espionage and endangering national security, without providing further details. He insists that China is governed by the rule of law and that there is no concept of wrongful detention. Chinese judicial authorities have handled the case according to law.

Min Zin's case highlights the challenges faced by academic and research organizations conducting research freely in China without fear of intimidation. The Institute for Strategy and Policy - Myanmar calls for his immediate and unconditional release. The designation follows another American academic, Dr. Youlin Chen, who was also wrongfully detained in recent months.