Ahead of Xi Visit, US Designates American Held in China as ‘Wrongfully Detained’
Min Zin, who heads a leading Myanmar-focused think-tank based in Thailand, has been accused of "engaging in espionage and endangering China’s national security.”
On March 18, 2026, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian denied US claims that a US citizen, Min Zin, has been wrongfully detained since early June. Lin Jian stated that China operates under the rule of law and that Min Zin is suspected of violating Chinese law, not that he is being wrongfully detained. The US State Department had designated Min Zin as "wrongfully detained" on Thursday, citing concerns over his activities that allegedly endanger China's national security.
Min Zin is a founder of the Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar (ISP-M), a research organization that examines political, resource, and conflict dynamics in Myanmar, a country in turmoil since a 2021 coup. Min Zin was arrested on June 3 in the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan, near the border with Myanmar. The ISP-M's publications often discuss China's influence in Myanmar's borderlands, where Beijing is accused of supporting factions that align with its interests.
The State Department's designation of Min Zin as detained without due process increases diplomatic tensions, occurring just a month before Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington to meet with President Donald Trump. This makes Min Zin the second US citizen Washington has deemed "wrongfully detained" in China, the first being seismologist Youlin Chen, who has been held on espionage charges since 2024.
Written by urgent.news from Hong Kong Free Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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